State Employees
NEW 1199 AD ON BUDGET CASTS KLARIDES AND FASANO CAST AS “PROTECTORS OF BILLIONAIRES”AS CT AWAITS HEROES
The new ad out today sets Connecticut’s budget drama in an action movie trailer. The ad sets the stage by opening “In a state where some legislators side with corporate lobbyists to protect billionaires and corporations while attacking middle class workers.” The ad awaits the “heroes” who will “rise to rebuild the middle class and have the courage to stand up to the wealthy and the powerful” but much like Hartford the trailer ends without a hero showing up. The ad concludes “Connecticut, the movie. Now casting for heroes.”
Themis Klarides and Len Fasano have clearly defined themselves as the protectors of billionaires and corporations. Their budget solutions revolve around pain for working class people. Meanwhile they defend and protect billionaires and corporations at every turn and refuse to ask them to pay a penny more. The working class people of this state are waiting for someone to stand up and ask the same of billionaires and corporations that they do of everyone else.
KEY FACTS:
* In the five years after the financial crisis, the incomes of the top 1 percent in Connecticut grew 17 percent, while the incomes of everyone else dropped about 2 percent
*$535 million in revenue could be generated by closing the carried interest loophole
*Another $500 million in revenue could be generated by raising taxes on the wealthy and increasing the capital gains tax.
*According to CNBC Connecticut ranks second in the nation in the percentage of millionaires in its population.
*Connecticut relies less on business taxes for overall revenue than any other state in the nation.
*Connecticut has 17 billionaires in the state. An increase of more than 50% since 2010.
*The top 1 percent of the population of Fairfield County earn more than $6 million, ranking Fairfield County as the third wealthiest among the nation’s more than 3,000 counties.
*Connecticut is one of the slowest states to recover from the recession. Recent EPI study shows that the culprit for slow recovery is government austerity spending.
Watch the ad below:
1199 Members Vote to Make Our Union Stronger
This past week 1199 members voted on two important issues facing our union. First, members had to decide whether our newly organized child care members would be added to the list of workers in our union’s jurisdiction. Secondly, members voted on whether to give our union increased resources so we can take on the challenges and adversaries that threaten our union.
From December 1st- December 7th members cast ballots at voting locations across the state. Below are the voting results.
| QUESTION #1: Add child care workers to the list of workers in our Union’s jurisdiction? | ||||||||
| YES | NO | VOID | ||||||
| CT State Employees | 1391 | 321 | 27 | |||||
| CT Community Programs | 189 | 25 | 3 | |||||
| CT Hospitals | 339 | 5 | 2 | |||||
| CT Home Care | 112 | 1 | 2 | |||||
| CT Nursing Homes | 1582 | 65 | 8 | |||||
| Rhode Island (All) | 496 | 47 | 3 | |||||
| TOTAL # | 4109 | 464 | 45 | |||||
| QUESTION #2: Establishes a new dues schedule and increase the minimum and maximum dues levels | ||||||||
| YES | NO | VOID | Provisional Ballots | |||||
| CT State Employees | 1127 | 612 | 8 | 70 | ||||
| CT Community Programs | 139 | 77 | 1 | 19 | ||||
| CT Hospitals | 315 | 27 | 4 | 20 | ||||
| CT Home Care | 112 | 1 | 1 | 14 | ||||
| CT Nursing Homes | 1445 | 192 | 16 | 196 | ||||
| Rhode Island (All) | 426 | 100 | 8 | 17 | ||||
| TOTAL # | 3564 | 1009 | 38 | 336 * Provisional ballots were not determinative in any division | ||||
Both questions were passed overwhelmingly by the membership. Question 2 having been adopted will reflect an increase in dues effective January 1, 2016. This new structure will set us on the path toward building a stronger union that is equipped to be successful in the 21st century.
Wage Increases for State Employees
State employees will be receiving a wage increase effective July 1, 2015.
First, determine your bargaining unit: you are either a NP-6 (10) or P-1 (11)
Second, determine your weekly hours of work e.g. 35, 37.5 or 40 hours
Third, determine your pay range. The pay range is the number to the left of the wage scale; e.g. PR 16 mental health assistant 1
P 1
HC 35 hours
XC 37.5 hours
FP 40 hours
NP-6
HN 35 hours
XN 37.5 hours
FX 40 hours
Dentists DX -35 hrs; DY-37.5 hrs; DZ-40 hrs.
Physicians/Psychiatrists RX- 35 hrs; RY-37.5; RZ-40 hrs
Part time physicians
Settlement in Rowland’s Violation of Union Rights
A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit that stemmed from a massive layoff of unionized state workers in 2003. The suit claimed that the Rowland administration structured the layoffs to punish unions who supported his Democratic opponent and then defied his demand for concessions. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit announced a settlement after nearly 12 years of litigation. The agreement is a testament to the courage and tenacity of workers who stood up for the rights of free speech.
Click here for a Q and A document with further information on how this may impact you. Settlement Q and A
VOTING HOURS EXTENDED AT 2 HARTFORD POLLS
A Hartford judge has decided to extend voting hours to 8:30 p.m. at two city polling locations that saw delays and missing registration lists early Tuesday morning.
The extended hours will apply to the Batchelder School at 757 New Britain Avenue and United Methodist Church at 571 Farmington Avenue, according to the judge. Registered voters who are in line at those two polls by 8:30 p.m. will be allowed to vote.
Look up your polling place here http://www.sots.ct.gov/sots/cwp/view.asp?a=3172&q=512796
Important Information on New Dental Plan for State Employees
Click on this link to read detailed questions and answers about changes to the state dental plan: Q and A on Changes in Dental Carriers
Saving Connecticut Lives (and Dollars) With Preventative Care & Health Screenings
Approximately 53,000 state employees and new retirees (including many 1199 members) are enrolled in the Health Enhancement Program (HEP) — a program that provides financial incentives, including reduced premium share and waived deductibles, to promote employees and dependents obtaining regular age-appropriate screenings.
State Controller Kevin Lembo recently announced that 99 percent of HEP participants are participating in these preventive screenings. Union members are doing our part – helping to save lives and dollars. From Lembo’s office:
HEP is a new program designed to reduce emergency room visits and complications associated with chronic conditions (such as diabetes and heart disease) by emphasizing preventative care. The program was established through an agreement between Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s administration and the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition.
“This Health Enhancement Program compliance blew away all expectations — and should be a strong signal about the potential long-term financial and health benefits to the state,” Lembo said. “My office is already seeing preliminary signs that HEP may be helping to drive down unnecessary emergency room visits and other costly acute care.
“While the rest of the country is experiencing health care cost increases of more than 8 percent — twice the general rate of inflation — Connecticut, as an employer, will see no increase this year. This is not a coincidence — but a direct result of health care innovations, including the Health Enhancement Program, that are moving the cost needle on health care.”