Case Urges House Vote on Costly UConn Bargaining Agreement

HARTFORD—State Rep. Jay Case today joined House Republicans in calling for the Democratically-controlled legislature to hold a vote on a controversial University of Connecticut labor contract, which was approved by the Appropriations Committee last week.

Case voted against the agreement, which guarantees non-teaching personnel at the flagship university will receive a $33.9 million salary hike—a figure Case believes is out of order considering the state’s financial problems. The current fiscal year deficit is pegged at least $266 million, and the estimated deficit for the next biennium is $4.6 billion.

Regardless, the agreement was passed by a 24-19 final vote tally, with all Republicans voting no.

“This is not a deal the state can afford based on our economic constraints,” remarked Case. “I am very disappointed that the democratic members of the Appropriations Committee failed to reject the deal, as proposed. The legislature must consider a more cost-effective bargaining agreement and reject the current deal.”

Without further legislative action on the contract, the deal will provide a 21 percent pay increase from the current agreement over its five year term.
According to Case, the legislature must have the conviction to go on record and vote either yes or no, and not continue the practice of simply allowing these unsustainable contracts to add to the mushrooming deficits.

The legislature must take disagreeing action with the Appropriations Committee by March 9, or the contract will go automatically go into effect on July 1.

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