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The battle over Connecticut's budget crisis took another turn Monday when leaders of state employee unions arranged for a second vote on a $1.6 billion concessions package, according to multiple media outlets.
CTNewsJunkie.com reported that the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition is changing its bylaws, which will allow a revote on the concessions package that leaders arranged with Gov. Dannel Malloy. That deal was rejected by rank-and-file members. But if they approve the package on a second vote, layoffs announced by Malloy will not be necessary. The governor has said in the past that without the agreement he will be forced to lay off up to 7,500 state employees over the next two years, according to CTNewsJunkie.
"It's good news that the unions have changed their ratification process to one that respects the will of the majority," Malloy said in a statement. "Over the next few days Mark Ojakian will be speaking with SEBAC leaders to understand which issues in the agreement need to be clarified. Given the limited number of issues that have been identified as problematic, it shouldn't take more than a couple of days to have a clarified agreement that's ready to be voted on by all state employees."
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