In a blow to the Malloy administration, a large bargaining unit known as P-2 has rejected the SEBAC agreement on health and pension benefits, union sources said early Wednesday morning.
The union represents about 3,800 human and social services workers, including employees at major agencies like the Department of Children and Families, Department of Social Services, and the state labor department.
P-2 had been seen by the Malloy administration as a criticial voting unit in the deal.
A union source said that P-2 1,485 voted yes and 1,635 voted "no'' on the SEBAC agreement, but the unit approved their individual bargaining agreement by 1,640 to 1,488. The individual bargaining unit agreements are all contingent on the SEBAC agreement passing - so that means that no one in P-2 would have layoff protection. The four-year, no-layoff deal was a crucial provision in the total package. P-2 was the first bargaining unit to reject the SEBAC and vote "yes'' to the individual contract. Other unions have had other scenarios.
In addition, CEUI/SEIU has also voted "no,'' sources said.
In the highly complicated system that covers about 45,000 unionized state employees, votes are being held by 34 bargaining units in 15 separate unions. Thousands of ballots will be counted Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday as multiple unions will be voting.