The closed-door state union negotiations have been wrapped in a shroud of secrecy as Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is seeking $2 billion in savings from the state employee unions that have a benefit contract that does not expire until 2017.
But an internal questionnaire from one union provides a glimpse of the types of wage, benefit, and retirement issues that are being discussed behind closed doors.
The questionnaire asks employees from the Administrative and Residual Union to cite which concession would be so objectionable that it would prompt them to vote against an overall union concession agreement. The list of 11 possibilities includes similar points that have been mentioned publicly by Malloy and are likely to be crucial to the talks.
The first question asks, "Are you willing to make some concessions to avoid layoffs?''
The one-page memo, obtained by Capitol Watch, also asks if the employees would vote against a one-year wage freeze or a two-year wage freeze. They are also asked if they would oppose allowing the state to switch to a 401k retirement program for all new employees who are hired after July 1 - instead of the lucrative pension system that the current employees receive.
Other issues include:
*"Raising the retirement age to 65 for employees hired after June 30.''
*Creating a new, Tier III pension plan for new employees with a defined benefit, such as the current system.
*Charging an additional $60 per month - or $720 per year - for health insurance. An alternative would be an increase of $30 per month.
*Switching to the same type of health benefits plan as federal employees, which Malloy says would save more than $100 million over two years.
*Requiring all state employees to pay 3 percent of their salary to help pay for retiree medical insurance
Michael Winkler, the first vice president of Newington-based A & R, confirmed that the union has been surveying its members at a series of meetings around the state. The surveys are not always the same, but the version obtained by Capitol Watch is the latest version.
"We want to know what our members can and cannot accept,'' said Winkler, the former union president who has been an official at the union for the past 12 years.
Concerning the 11 possibilities on the questionnaire, Winkler said that the union needs to know "which ones are the least palatable'' to the membership.
