Connecticut State Workers Get 2.5% Raises, Boosting Budget

0:00It's April 30th. This is Hartford News today, local news powered by AI. Connecticut's General Assembly just approved new contracts, giving roughly 42,000 unionized state workers 2.5 percent annual. Cost of living raises through 2028, plus step hikes for those not at the top pay levels. These boosts are retroactive to July 1st last year, and will hit the state budget for over $200 million in the first year alone. The Democratic-led Senate passed a 26-to-10 in the late afternoon, and the House followed with a 107-to-42 vote right. After 7.30 pm, mostly splitting along party lines. Analysts project total compensation costs could climb nearly $675 million higher by 2028. Democrats held it as a big win for Governor Ned Lamont and their re-election bids this fall, since state employees form a key part of their base. Lamont praised workers as the backbone keeping Connecticut running, while union leaders and some Dems stressed it's essential for attracting and, holding on to talent after

1:03years of freezes and concessions. Republicans push back hard, arguing state pay has outpaced the private sector for years, with minigating effective 4.5 percent bumps. Annually, since fiscal year 2021-22, they called it unfair to taxpayers, especially with no major tax cuts in the new budget, saying every dollar here means less for cities, towns, and affordability fixes. The Senate also okayed similar raises for about 2,300 graduate teaching assistants at Yukon, and while contracts run four years, wages, wages, for the final stretch, get renegotiated early. This keeps the workforce competitive amid tied budgets, balancing retention needs with fiscal watchdog's concerns.