That’s one explanation for state employees’ rejection this week of a $1.6 billion concessions package that guaranteed four years of job security in return for a two year pay freeze and changes in health and pension benefits.
Basically, as some folks tell it, senior workers decided their jobs were safe and figured they’d sacrifice the newbies (i.e. “First in, last out…”) to Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy, who has been threatening layoffs if the unions did not ratify the $1.6 billion deal.
And Matt O’Connor, a spokesman for the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, said it is certainly something his bosses will consider when they convene Monday to figure out what the heck happened.
“That’s going to be part of the analysis,” O’Connor said.
In the meantime, as we wait for the governor to trigger the sobering nuclear option of 7,500 job cuts, let’s all join actor Leonard Nimoy (aka Mr. Spock) and singer Bruno Mars in celebrating the joys of free time. It’s sure to become Connecticut’s new theme song…
Always the old eating their young. Hmmm, can we consider the opposite at all? Ever watch a nature show. Is it the young lion getting cut out of the pride? And that’s more like what we’re dealing with. Not eating the babies, these are mature young, quite capable of taking care of themselves.
Here, we’re looking at a decimation of benefits to anyone hoping to retire in a year or two. Newer folks who’d rather preserve their ability to put decent meals on their families’ tables , banishing the older to eat dog food.
But it’s only selfish for the older to try and maintain at least a ‘Hamburger helper’ existence.
It was the the mean hearted old that did eat their young, that was the attitude from anyone who would not be in danger of layoff. The other problem was the rumors and misunderstanding of what they were voting on. If people were that concerned why didn’t they go to the meeting and ask questions instead of voting on rumors? But if the old want the young laid off have fun when you got to pick up the slack! Next time the Unions should make sure that things are better explained before people vote on it. Maybe if they had the meetings then have people vote it would have been better.
In my bargaining unit it was the other way around….the juniors influenced the seniors! Employees with less than 5 years experience said they would rather get laid off than continue to invest their time and work under agreements that were constantly changing and a contract isn’t a contract. Seniors then said “well if they aren’t voting this, for why the hell would we vote for it to protect their interests!”
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist or years of state employment to see the lack of contract language and numerous “loopholes” in the Agreement that allow and give authority to SEBAC or the administation to change our health plan/benefits at thier will. While certain items require the “approval” of SEBAC, that doesn’t mean the change would have the approval of the membership…as we found out in the so to speak “bargaining and negotiation” of the 2011 Agreement this time around. Union members were allowed ZERO input in the process!!!
For anyone retiring after 2022 there are no guarantees that our contributions toward pensions will be safely put aside, what will happen to those contributions should pensions be eliminated in 2022, or what will happen if the retirement age is raised again(after buying into your “normal retirement age” into starting in 2013).
Governor Malloy is asking for more recission authority which many legislators appear to be against granting him. Likewise it is the feeling of many union members that SEBAC has overstepped it’s authority by not inviting members participation in the process and not bargaining in what we think are our best interests.
In a word, No.
It’s a tempting explanation for some because it reinforces a stereotype about unionized workers. However, there were large and small bargaining units with many senior employees that voted overwhelmingly yes. The no votes that made the difference were mostly contained in two unions, AFSCME and CEIU. I don’t have an exact explanation but I’m guessing it’s somewhere in the culture and organization of these two unions.
Too bad the Governor or Legislature cannot offer the same deal to interested State employees outside their bargaining units. It’s a great offer, they’d keep their jobs, and wouldn’t have to pay union dues.
It’s always that way, the old eat the young in union land.
I assure each worker knows exactly where the stand on the layoff list.
This why Malloy upped the ante to 7,500 to jolt the “safe” workers.
Didn’t work.