Shawn Holloway, a member of AFSCME Local 1716 in Hartford, says it's time to stop blaming workers and their unions for Hartford's financial crisis:

"Like a broken record, The Courant continues to blame unionized workers for any budget crisis. As a city employee and taxpaying resident, I feel it's wrong to pit bondholders and workers against one another. We all deserve to be treated fairly.

Members of the the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees have made repeated financial sacrifices, including multiple wage freezes and increased contributions to the cost of our health insurance. Our pensions are properly funded and modest -- $1,400 a month on average as reported by the comptroller's office, which administers the Municipal Employee Retirement System."

 Click here to read Sean's full letter to the editor published in The Courant.