As the state's financial crisis continues, non-union state managers are getting a financial windfall in the form of millions of dollars in longevity bonuses.
State labor unions say they thought the bonuses were off the table. They're now pursuing a grievance over the issue.
The first of the payments went out on Tuesday, according to union representatives.
"It needs to be said that we did have mutual agreement on the giveback of the longevity payments that our members aren't going to be receiving," said Matt O'Connor, a spokesman for the state labor union coalition SEBAC.
That agreement called for non-union managers, including some top Malloy administration officials, to give up their October bonuses if the unions agreed to give up theirs, according to O'Connor. Bonuses to state workers with 10 or more years of service are paid in October and April.
The unions even circulated documents to members outlining that deal as part of their effort to get members to agree to a $1.6 billion concessions package.
Now, SEBAC claims the language that banned the October bonuses for non-union mangers was changed after union members rejected the initial concessions deal. That concessions package later passed in a re-vote. The unions didn't realize a change was made, according to O'Connor.
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Even state lawmakers didn't realize the October bonuses would go out to non-union managers.
"The fact that we just passed the biggest tax increase in history on the Connecticut taxpayers and we told them this is going to be shared sacrifice, paying Connecticut employees bonuses particularly at this time is the worst timing I can imagine," said Sen. Len Suzio, (R) Meriden.
Governor Dannel Malloy says he supports ending all longevity payments, but he also points out that it's something the legislature will have to tackle.
So far, only longevity payments for new hires have been eliminated.
The unions are hoping to meet with the administration to discuss their grievance soon.
