Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley charged Wednesday that Democrat Dannel Malloy is in the pocket of the state-employee unions, saying he has proof that Malloy lied in Tuesday's debate about not making any no-layoff commitments to the unions.
Foley released a five-page questionnaire that showed Malloy's written response that he has "no interest in laying off state employees'' to help close the state's projected $3.4 billion budget deficit.
The survey consisted of 13 questions by the Newington-based Administrative and Residual Employees Union for their 2010 endorsement, and it was filled out by the campaign of Malloy and his running mate, Nancy Wyman.
"To be clear, we have no interest in laying people off,'' Malloy and Nancy Wyman wrote on the questionnaire. "We've been very clear that we have no interest in laying off state employees.''
When asked by reporters Wednesday about Foley's statements, Malloy responded, "No, I have not made promises'' to the unions.
Malloy added, "I have filled out many, many questionnaires. I have repeatedly, in every audience, and you've all heard me say this, with the exception of the safety net, everything is on the table. Period.''
The issue of union support came up several times in front of nearly 800 attendees at a forum at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford. Sponsored by the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities, the forum was attended by mayors, first selectmen, and other top municipal leaders.
In Tuesday night's debate at The Bushnell and again on Wednesday, Malloy said he had made no commitments to the unions.
Concerning whether he made any promises to refuse to make cuts in pensions or benefits, Malloy said, "Let's be very clear. Do I support pensions? Yeah, I support pensions. The average pension for a current state retiree is $26,000. ... I think most people support pensions.''
On the questionnaire, the union asked directly if the candidates would support state employee layoffs after the end of the current, no-layoff agreement that was reached with Republican Gov. M. Jodi Rell as part of a concession package to help close the state budget deficit. Malloy and Wyman checked the box that said "no.''
When asked "would you cross any union's picket line?,'' Malloy and Wyman again answered no.
Malloy added Wednesday that Foley had said that the state employees had nothing to fear about his election.
"Last night in the debate, Tom Foley said he could reduce the state employee workforce by attrition,'' said Roy Occhiogrosso, Malloy's chief strategist. "What is different about Dan Malloy's position about that? There is no difference.''
In a continuation of what Foley called "the brawl at The Bushnell,'' Foley and Malloy even argued over which one of them had more recently changed a bedpan. That issue came up when Foley criticized Malloy's support for unions by walking a picket line on primary day in August outside a nursing home for workers in 1199, one of the most politically active unions in the state.
"I walked the picket line for women being paid $12 an hour to change bedpans,'' Malloy said. "When's the last time that you changed a bedpan?''
"When was the last time you changed a bedpan?'' Foley responded as some in the crowd laughed.
"Actually, I have. When I was growing up, my mother used to drive me to a nursing home and said, 'Get out and help,' '' Malloy said of his mother, who was a nurse.
"A long time ago,'' Foley responded.
"I took care of my parents at home,'' interrupted Thomas E. Marsh, the Independent Party candidate on the ballot.
"So, Tom, let me ask you something. Do you think being paid $12 an hour to change bedpans is a fair salary?'' Malloy asked.
"What do you think about the conveyance tax, Dan?'' Foley responded.