As Connecticut and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition attempt to come to an agreement that would help to close a $2 billion budget deficit, they still have to convince the union members of any deal. SEBAC represents 15 state employees unions, and 13 have to approve any deal that they make. Workers say that they have already given concessions to the state, and that there is only so much more that they are willing to do. The Governor has said that if concessions are not made he will cut 4,700 jobs. Last week he postponed the first round of layoffs to allow negotiations to continue.
See "Any Conn. labor deal needs rank-and-file support", Susan Haigh, Forbes.com, May 8, 2011