Opinion
Wood: Not Enough Concessions in Renegotiated State Union Contract
|
This statement by state Rep. Terrie Wood, a Republican representing most of Darien and Rowayton in the 141st state House of Representatives District, was emailed to her constituents on Wednesday:
Our Connecticut State Legislature is poised to make a truly historic choice: either dig our state out of a $5 billion biennial fiscal abyss responsibly or, once again, allow the state unions to reap asymmetrical benefits that significantly exceed both the private sector workforce and state employees from any other state in the country. One of the most critical opportunities to change our state’s fiscal trajectory is here right now, with the renegotiation of our state union workers contract. The state legislature has the responsibility of setting sound fiscal policy to help grow our state’s economy and stimulate equitable employment opportunities for all workers within Connecticut; not just reward those in state unions. There are currently 45,000 state union employees (and 45,000 retirees) representing 2.4 percent of the entire Connecticut workforce. These union members serve within the departments of education, transportation, public safety, health, social services, consumer protection and motor vehicles et al., as well as staff all six constitutional offices.