(JUNE 26, 2017) Late Sunday, State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) union leaders approved a tentative agreement (TA) for protecting members' jobs and stabilizing benefits based on the framework adopted in late May. The TA accomplishes three primary objectives we took on last November when we began informal discussions with the Malloy Administration:
- shields against layoffs for four years, through 2021;
- extends health and retirement benefits an additional five years, through 2027; &
- strengthens our ability to protect vital public services that our members deliver.
Last night's approval of the SEBAC TA followed weeks of individual bargaining unit talks between local negotiating committees and state agency representatives, which have produced tentative agreements for new contracts. They are all tied to the SEBAC TA and dues-paying members of unions in good standing will soon have the opportunity to cast their votes on both.
Be sure to reach out to your local union's leadership with questions related to your bargaining unit's TA or the ratification vote process.
Ultimately the decision on whether to accept these agreements is yours, and I understand how difficult it will be, no matter your choice. This is the third time in 10 years of economic hardship that as state employees we have been asked to step up to save our neighbors and our communities.
It is also clear that, especially since last November, there is no more status quo; the gains our unions have made in the past are at real and significant risk. These agreements provide a level of security for you, your family, your co-workers and those you serve in a time of great uncertainty.
That's why, as a member and a state employee, I will be voting YES on both the SEBAC and my individual bargaining unit TA.
More to come, and in solidarity,
Jan Hochadel
President, AFT Connecticut