Pink Slips and Pay Raises

As the state began sending out pink slips to the first of more than 6,500 state employees, others received pay raises Friday.

More than 40,000 workers got raises of about 2.5 percent, according to the Office of Policy and Management.

The raises would have been put on hold if the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition unions had ratified a concessions deal worked out with Gov. Dannel Malloy last week. The rank-and-file members rejected the agreement, leading Malloy to announce the layoff for 6,644 state employees. Another vacant jobs will be eliminated.

The increased pay was part of a contract negotiated with former Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the Connecticut Post reported. The raises, which took effect Friday, total $130 million, according to Malloy's budget chief, Ben Barnes.

Friday, SEBAC leaders said they would honor the votes by the rank-and-file union members, and not reject the "no" vote on the concessions package. They said they would look to reach some type of agreement that would prevent layoffs and cuts in services.

Malloy discussed the layoffs on MSNBC'S "Morning Joe" Friday morning.

"Either we get our fiscal house in order and we reach agreements that allow us to do that on a short-term and long-term basis or these cuts will be implemented and there will be other changes made, including ultimately having to resolve some of these matters in the Legislature, but I'm hopeful that we'll all get back to the table," Malloy said.