Between the Moon and Mars.
That’s the distance between state employee unions and the Malloy administration are in their extended negotiations over $2 billion in employee concessions, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The employees have staked out their territory on the moon because they believe they are much closer to having their feet planted on Earth than the Malloy administration.
If administration applies the tactics it brought to has deployed against some Democratic legislators, union representatives will witness an array of negotiating styles, some of them unattractive and demeaning.
The distance between the moon and Mars is about 50 million miles. Hard for anyone to throw a chair that far and hit its target.
4 comments
It’s easy for people to dismiss union members who claim two billion is an impossble target but when Chris Powell (“the governor’s demand of the state employee unions is grossly disproportionate”) and Jon Pelto (“$2 Billion in employee concessions is not achievable”) agree, you have to wonder if Malloy ever meant for the negotiations to succeed. That the two sides would be so far apart should be no surprise.
I agree with Paul. The unions are playing hardball, as they should. You want to resolve a good part of this crisis? Offer an ERIP. The most senior employees will take it, as they have deserved it. To be lump summed as just state employees is offensive and demeaning to the thousands who have spent endless years being good at what they do. The threat of layoffs, is just a powerplay, from those who think they know……..Change is going to come. A change most taxpayers won’t like. Shared sacrifice, when entitlement programs are out of hand? Try again, and this time, it should be for the hard working taxpayers who have given the max, and then some.
Sadly, my family will be leaving CT. I sugges those of you that work/produce something start to consider an exit strategy as well. Gov. Dan and the legislators, Ds and Rs, are willing to take more of our paychecks in order to keep writing checks for the takers (non-workers, both retired union members and the unemployed).
Vote with your feet…let those that want to redistribute the wealth fund the redistribuiton and PACK YOUR BAGS.
Hmm…wonder if my union brethern are having second thoughts about voting for Dan the Man.