Believe what you will about public employees, but it has got to be difficult to work for Connecticut government right now because of the climate of uncertainty.
On the one hand, unions voted down a $1.6 billion concessions package needed to balance the budget, resulting in Governor Dannel Malloy initiating layoffs.
On the other hand, those jobs, which could number in the thousands, may be saved if union leaders and Malloy find some way to salvage the deal.
Imagine being one of the unlucky ones targeted in the first round of layoff notices, seeking a daily dose of hope in the form of constant media reports about the status of ongoing talks between labor and the governor.
But even if the deal is revived you’re still in limbo because there has to be another vote to ratify.
I spoke Friday evening to one state manager – who declined to be identified – who said the entire situation has cast a pall over government.
“I can tell you a lot of work has come to a screeching halt because of this,” they said. “It’s just waiting … Just the idea of your manager appearing at your door is just terrifying for a lot of people.”
The administration wants the layoff notices to be personally delivered, and this individual has already had to layoff a couple of employees.
“It couldn’t be a sh—-er feeling to deliver the news, but pales in comparison (to losing your job),” the manager said.
Brian, I do feel sorry for those in the public sector that will lose their jobs. Just as I feel sorry for the 30 workers who lost their jobs at my husband’s private sector small business, that was just bought by a MA. Corporation. Isn’t that shared sacrifice? Now if we could just get the General Assembly, who are responsible for this mess, to lose their jobs, we could all get back to work!
There has to be a better way to govern ourselves, locally, natioanlly and globally. We keep arguing over details and never address the underlying structural deficiencies that hamstring progress over profits, never grasping that the two are married. Its like husband and wife arguing who runs the bucket to the barn, that’s on fire and who gets to prime the pump. Until we take the profit out of lobbying, both domestically and abroad, in house and out, the rest is merely a distraction for the masses to digest. Yes, very profitable side shows of political Armageddon. No wonder McMahon wants in. We should be asking ourselves does such sharp political devisiveness among classes spur radicalism? Looking at Norway, and forcing oneself through the 13 minute video, it leaves a bad impression, like a combo history class / Harry Potter flick, starring and Introducing for the first time on the world stage; Anders Behring Breivik, a post graduate, studying under Professor Jared Lee Loughner and General Timothy McViegh, on steroids. Everyone initially pointed at the Muslims, turns out its a radicalised inside loner crusader Freemason, self appointed Justicia Knight of Templar seeking to expand the conflict between religions and cultures based upon some Nazi / Archie Bunker ideology of preserving genomes.. Wait, what? Knight of Templar? Isn’t that the brand new narco gang in Mexico taking La Famila’s control? What is it with all you Skulls and Bones, Illuminati, HedgeFunders and Costa Nostra people anyway, that supposedly do run things? This the best ya all can do? Where are all the American patriotic Attorneys, Leaders, Journalist, Filmmakers, Movers and Shakers? There has to be better ways to manage and move forward. Has to be. Surely there is. Right? Or we just let things keep deteriorating and breed more radicals? What a wild trip its been. But haven’t we been here before? The real “Weatherman” of Weathermen The Honorable George Carlin always spoke the truth. ” The America dream? You have to be asleep to believe it” Tea or bourbon with your sedatives? Without confidence in the system and confidence in the system is at historic all time lows? Hmmm. Chaos maybe? Ok do away with Social Security, State Aid, Medicare, Medicaid hospitals and schools. Heck just hold all the checks of all workers for say 8 or 9 months, that will work, that will cut costs and create demand. Right? Than we build a really big wall north and south and let nobody in, or out. Will logic, sanity and moral responsibility triumph? Or will greed and isolated power remain status quo? Stay tuned. Same Channel. Same channel, unless of course a Fox affiliate, who’s future seems unstable, not unlike many governments.Maybe while Linda is down there in D.C. she can sign Pelosi and Boehner and McConnel and Reed for matches and when she gets back Malloy and Pelto. Libermen as ref.
Ding Ding…..
This is certainly not the first time in our history that State employee contract negotiations have occurred in a “brinksmanship” manner, and it’s always stressful no matter how many times one works through it.
But this time it was different. Specifically, the negotiators for both sides were under so much pressure to “crank out” an agreement as quickly as possible that they felt they didn’t have enough time to do it properly. Thus there was not enough time for the unions to poll their members *first* regarding their needs and priorities, the original “Tentative Agreement” offered to the members to vote on was VERY poorly worded, there were too many omissions, there were too many vague statements in it, and in general it read as though an amateur had written it… it was simply not up to generally accepted contract standards. To make matters worse, union officials and representatives were not adequately trained to be able to answer all employees’ questions accurately, and so too many false rumors about what it all “really” meant began circulating among employees. It’s amazing it got the 57% of the vote that it did.
This new, “revised” TA on the other hand is thoroughly “fleshed out,” written in the appropriate language and in the appropriate formate, contains the important details that were not in the original document, and is otherwise up to professionally-written contract standards. If the original TA were written in this manner – as it should have been – it would probably have passed *without* revision of SEBAC’s internal voting rules.
This was a PERFECT example of “haste makes waste.” Hopefully this will not happen again, and that future contract negotiators will make the effort to stick to well-established contract negotiation procedures and writing standards right from the start, *regardless* of how much pressure anyone else puts on them to take so many “short cuts.”
Well said Paul. No wonder why we are in this mess. Look at the Union workers attitude. And what kind of manager is this person. Amazing the attitude. GET TO WORK, stop wasting our tax dollar and bragging about it.
This manager should be canned immediately as well.
“I can tell you a lot of work has come to a screeching halt because of this,” they said.
TYPICAL STATE EMPLOYEES! I may get laid off so I’ll stop working. I got laid off, but my last day isn’t until Septemeber, so I’ll stop doing my job NOW!
Maybe this is the problem…and HELLO, what are you doing Mr. State Employee Manager. You are letting them stop work? Some Manager! You should be laid off yourself.
If this happened in the private sector you and them would be gone TODAY!