For Immediate Release
January 23, 2018

Council 4 Executive Director Sal Luciano commented today on the Connecticut Conference of Municipality’s call for an end to municipal collective bargaining at today’s meeting of the Commission on Fiscal Stability and Economic Growth:

“It's a shame to see CCM pandering to corporate aristocrats with the nerve to preach austerity to police officers, snow plow drivers, school paraprofessionals and thousands of other public employees who are a vital part of Connecticut’s economy.”

“Contrary to CCM's posturing, the ability to bargain for decent health care and a secure retirement has benefited Connecticut by reducing employee turnover, improving the quality of public services and generating the kind of purchasing power that benefits our local communities.”

“Fiscal instability and growing economic inequality are serious problems facing Connecticut, yet the only solution CCM and others on the Commission seem to have is to drive down the wages, benefits and bargaining rights of middle class workers in the public sector. This is not systemic reform. It’s trying to fool people into the belief that taking money out of the hands of working people will somehow spur economic growth when, in fact, the opposite will happen.”

“The late Senator Paul Wellstone said, ‘We all do better when we all do better.’ CCM and Commission members would do well to remember those words as they move forward.”