In the midst of a billion dollar budget deficit, a new letter has Conneticut's unions in an uproar. The letter details givebacks that the state is seeking from the unions, only a year after the unions and the state reached a $700 million deal. The givebacks include allowing layoffs, furloughs, changing pension calculations, increasing copays. Most of the cuts are targeted at a 20-year health care and pension agreement that was reached before the current budget crisis. Unions responded with a letter accusing the state of scapegoating them, and asked why the rich were not being asked to give up more. A representative for the state said that the list was created to address budget issues and that they hope to meet with unions to discuss the letter.
See "Conn. unions balk at gov's concessions request", Susan Haigh, Business Week, March 23, 2010