Four of its nine bargaining groups voted against the concession deal this July, so this time the union partially responsible for the defeat of the original agreement isn’t taking any chances.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure this deal is approved,” Larry Dorman, spokesman for AFSCME Council 4, said Tuesday. That means “we’re doing everything we did last time and more.”
In addition to producing this video titled “We’re Voting Yes,” AFSCME disseminated two direct mailings to its members and is making sure its locals are talking to their members at their job sites.
AFSCME Local 391 President Jon T. Pepe said he was able to accomplish more in 15 minutes by talking to Correction officers over the past few days than he was able to do in a month prior to the first vote.
He said that during his tour of Osborn Correctional Institute and MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institute he ran into workers who just didn’t understand the information from the unions last time, and by default voted against the agreement.
“They voted ‘no’ as a defensive mechanism,“ Pepe said Tuesday.
Most of the misinformation centered around the health care changes. Pepe said he was able to put to rest some of their apprehension about the health care package by reassuring them that they get to keep the health care they already have and won’t be paying more for it if they visit their doctor for regular check-ups.
“Most said they already visit their doctor, so it wasn’t an issue after a brief conversation,” Pepe said.
Even though all the information was written down before or explained at informational gatherings, which were voluntary, some workers still didn’t understand what was in the deal, he said.
Before the first vote, he assumed the 1,800 employees in the union would come to him and ask questions or attend one of the informational sessions, but that’s not what happened. He said attendance wasn’t what he expected at the informational sessions and his phone wasn’t ringing off-the-hook.
“Every question they had they were thinking the opposite of what was actually going to happen,” Pepe said.
He said the recent prison closures were not as big of a concern for his members as the health care portion of the agreement.
Meanwhile, other AFSCME bargaining groups like Local 749, which represents a diverse group of Judicial Branch employees who voted down the package the first time, held an informational meeting at 95 Washington St. in Hartford Tuesday afternoon to hear more about the clarified agreement that offers four years of job security to workers.
The Stamford Advocate is reporting that Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration decided to allow the unions to hold these meetings during work hours.
“I have been instructed by Ben Barnes for the month of June, 2011, that commissioners may approve limited time off for bargaining unit members to attend meetings intended to educate them on proposed changes to SEBAC or collective bargaining agreements,” Linda Yelmini, director of labor relations, wrote. “Such approvals should be as limited as possible and should not cause significant disruptions to state services. You should report any such approvals to Secretary Barnes’ office. A (payroll) code will be established to record this time so proper records can be maintained.”
The policy was extended through Aug. 18 when the first agreement was defeated.
State employees who oppose the deal for a variety of reasons, including the increase in retirement age or the two-year wage freeze, don’t believe the state or the unions are playing fair when it comes to promoting this deal.
A group of employees that oppose the deal have been having discussions on Facebook. They believe the leaders of the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, which represents the 15 unions, have overstepped their bounds first by changing the bylaws, and now by trying to give those that support the agreement an unfair advantage in promoting it.
“Just keeps stacking the deck, or at least trying too, in his favor,” Tommy D’Andrea, wrote in one of the posts.
State employees opposed to the deal have united behind Lisa Herskowitz, the state prosecutor who filed the complaint with the Board of Labor Relations in an attempt to stop the second vote. It’s unclear when a decision will be made on the complaint.
AFSCME begins voting on the agreement Aug. 15. While some of the bargaining units already have voted or allowed their leadership to cast a vote for them, a majority of the voting will take place next week.
Support authentic, locally owned and operated public service journalism!
In order to receive approval this time, eight of the 15 unions will have to vote in favor along with 50 percent of the voting members. Sources confirmed that it’s not the total number of unions that has supporters worried, it’s the per capita measurement that’s causing concern.
The 15 SEBAC unions’ per capita votes are weighted based on each individual union’s reported membership, which are reflected as a percentage of the total unionized workforce. Summer vacation and other factors, which could keep state employees away from the ballot boxes, are a concern for the unions. Turnout and the percentage of votes cast within each union could have an impact on the final outcome.
More State Budget news

Lamont Signs The Budget
Alongside Democratic legislative leaders, Gov. Ned Lamont signed the $24 billion budget adjustment Monday that includes $600 million in tax relief. That’s more than they anticipated they would be able to offer Connecticut residents this Election year because revenue came in higher than expected, but it still creates about an $800 million deficit in 2024. …
Keep reading
ANALYSIS | It’s A Wrap: The Winners and Losers of the 2022 Session
It was a short legislative session, but the House and the Senate were able to move a lot of business this year, including the passage of a $24-billion budget with around $600 million in tax cuts.
Keep reading
Connecticut Acts To Help Its Lead-Poisoned Children
After decades of inertia, Connecticut is finally moving to help its thousands of lead-poisoned children and prevent thousands of other young children from being damaged by the widespread neurotoxin.
Keep reading
Bill Bolstering Contracting Oversight Board In Jeopardy After Lamont Administration Raises Concerns
It passed unanimously in the Senate, but a bill that would give the State Contracting Standards Board greater oversight over state contracting appeared stalled in the House Wednesday on the last day of session. “The governor and I have not talked about the bill,” House Speaker Matt Ritter said. “The commissioners have sent us a…
Keep reading
Senate Approves Tax Cuts, Sends $24B Budget to the Governor
The state Senate gave final approval late Tuesday to a $24 billion election year budget plan that includes around $600 million in tax relief while enabling the state to make an $3.5 billion payment on its unfunded pension debt. Senators voted 24-12 at around 10:30 p.m. to send the midterm budget adjustment to the desk…
Keep reading
House Green-Lights $24B Budget
On a party-line vote early Tuesday, the House passed a $24 billion budget adjustment package containing more than $600 million in tax cuts which Democrats heralded as “historic” and Republicans derided as temporary. Lawmakers voted 95 – 52 at around 12:20 a.m. to send the 673-page budget document to the Senate for consideration before the…
Keep reading
Budget Materials
The General Assembly is preparing to debate adjustments to the $24 billion state budget. Below are a few of the documents we’ve been provided as back-up materials. The budget, HB 5506. Town runs. Car tax impact on municipalities. Finance Committee Power Point.
Keep reading
Lawmakers May Vote for First Pay Increase in 20 Years
With legislative retirements mounting, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle were considering Monday raising the salaries of General Assembly members for the first time in more than two decades and indexing their pay in the future. During a morning press briefing, House Speaker Matt Ritter told reporters that funding for pay raises had been…
Keep reading
Amid Surging Revenue, House Prepares to Vote on Budget Adjustments
Connecticut’s House of Representatives was expected to vote Monday on a $24 billion budget adjustment package, buoyed by revised revenue predictions that exceeded expectations by more than $350 million. The revised consensus figures released Monday confirm the surge in revenues that enabled Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative Democrats to reach an agreement last week on…
Keep reading
Dems Detail Budget Deal With $500 Mil in Tax Cuts, Extension of Gas Tax Holiday
Legislative Democrats and Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration announced Wednesday the details of a $24.2 billion budget adjustment package, which they say provides around $500 million in tax relief including extending a gas tax holiday until December. Lamont and legislative leaders outlined the agreement during an afternoon press conference in the state Capitol building. Both chambers…
Keep reading
Health Care Workers Call for New Hires
After a record number of health care workers are expected to retire this year, health care staff called on Gov. Ned Lamont to commit to filling 1,000 vacant positions by August 1 of this year. A record 1,137 state workers who notified the state that they will retire this year comes at a moment of…
Keep reading
Senate Joins House And Votes To Give Raises, Bonuses To State Employees
The Senate gave final approval by a 22-13 vote on a plan to give unionized state workers a set of raises and bonuses. The plan, negotiated by Gov. Ned Lamont’s administration and a coalition of public sector labor unions, provides three years of 2.5% raises and step increases as well as a total of $3,500…
Keep reading
House Advances Labor Deal In Historic Vote
Lawmakers in Connecticut’s House of Representatives signed off on a plan to give state workers a set of raises and bonuses Thursday in a mostly partisan vote on a negotiated labor agreement. The House voted 96 to 52 in support of the deal with 1 Republican, Rep. Tom Delnicki of South Windsor, joining all Democrats…
Keep reading
Republicans Propose Last-Minute Tax Package
Legislative Republicans pitched a $1.2 billion tax relief plan Thursday which reduces state income, sales and gas taxes and proposes to join other states in suing the federal government to challenge restrictions on spending pandemic relief funds. House and Senate Republicans announced the plan during a state Capitol press conference Thursday morning. It cuts the…
Keep reading
The Budget Battle Begins To Take Shape
Tax collections have improved and pushed Connecticut’s budget surplus to $4 billion, but the state budget still relies heavily on federal funding and without it the state would end up running a “sizeable operating deficit.” The Office of Policy and Management told state Comptroller Natalie Braswell Wednesday that if not for the use of the…
Keep reading
Ritter: Time Is Running Short For Budget Agreement
The legislature will have a difficult time approving a state budget before the end of its session in two weeks if lawmakers and Gov. Ned Lamont do not reach an agreement in the next 48 hours, House Speaker Matt Ritter told reporters Wednesday. During a morning press briefing, Ritter said the legislative schedule was looking…
Keep readingMore Labor News

States With The Largest Unionized Workforces
Where does Connecticut stand in the list of states with the most unionized employees?
Keep reading
Business Leaders Make Push To Veto Captive Audience Bill
Connecticut business leaders are leaning on Gov. Ned Lamont to veto a bill that would restrict what employers can say in the workplace. The bill, which has been a priority of labor unions for years, is being described by business owners as an unconstitutional attempt to restrict workplace communications and an infringement on employer free…
Keep reading
‘Captive Audience’ Bill Headed To Governor’s Desk
Legislation prohibiting Connecticut employers from holding “captive audience” meetings to discourage workers from organizing received final approval in the House late Friday despite Republican arguments it was preempted by federal law. The bill passed in a 88 to 56 vote, generally along party lines. Eight Democrats joined all but one Republican in voting against it.…
Keep reading
Senate Advances Captive Audience Bill After All-Day Debate
The state Senate debated and passed a bill Thursday that outlines what employers can and can’t tell their employees in the workplace. Dubbed the “captive audience” bill, the legislation which passed the Senate 23-11, has been a topic of discussion for years at the state Capitol. It received bipartisan support this year despite opposition from…
Keep reading
Nursing Home Workers Ready To Strike in Windsor
A strike at a Windsor nursing home accused of unfair labor practices will proceed unless a tentative agreement for raises and other benefits is crafted by 6 a.m. Friday, according to officials with the New England Health Care Employees Union, SEIU 1199. The union and four other homes, Avery Heights, Bloomfield Health Care Center, the…
Keep reading
Home Care Workers Finally Have Something To Celebrate
Connecticut’s home care workers, who have struggled without a contract since last summer, are celebrating today. After almost a year of negotiations, the state has agreed to give the 10,000 workers a pay increase, health insurance, and even paid time off. The workforce, which is mostly women –predominantly women of color, take care of 6,000…
Keep reading