STATEMENT OF LABOR COMMITTEE SENATE CHAIR JULIE KUSHNER ON GOV. LAMONT’S VETO OF SENATE BILL 8 /UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS FOR WORKERS ON STRIKE MORE THAN 14 DAYS

“The governor is on the wrong side on this one. Most often, strikes occur when workers are fighting to protect their health and pension benefits or fighting egregious working conditions. It’s never an easy or careless decision to strike. Furthermore, when unionized workers’ wages and benefits are protected or improved, every business in Connecticut is then pressured to improve its own workplace standards. This bill would not only help workers on one particular picket line, it would help the entire Connecticut workforce – our friends and neighbors – and keep us moving forward. That’s really important in this economy where corporate profits are soaring, where the stock market is soaring, and where working people are left to grapple with rising prices for rent and childcare and inflation at the grocery store and gas pump.

“I disagree with the governor when he suggests that providing unemployment benefits to striking workers gives them an unfair advantage at the bargaining table. For nearly 100 years, since the enactment of the National Labor Relations Act, corporate America has lobbied successfully to impose limitations on workers’ rights – putting their collective thumb on the scales in favor of business. But when Democrats in the General Assembly – who were overwhelmingly elected to represent the people of this state just a few months ago – pass legislation that would allow workers to exercise without fear of impoverishment their right to strike under federal law, the governor sides with businesses,  joining the long list of politicians, past and present, who side with corporate executives. Now is a good time to remember that the only reason that we have good jobs with good benefits in Connecticut is because of the effort of labor unions to fight for and secure these jobs. For example, Pratt & Whitney threatened to move out of state if the governor were to sign this bill. Did the governor get a written commitment, or even a handshake, from Pratt to create more jobs or even guarantee that the jobs we have will stay in Connecticut? The only written guarantees from Pratt are in the union contract the workers fought to secure.

“Thank you, Connecticut union members, for working so hard to get this bill passed. I look forward to raising this issue again in another legislative session and having it successfully signed into law – whether that’s next year or when we elect a governor who has pledged to support workers on this critical priority.”

State Senator Julie Kushner, D-Danbury, Senate Chair, Labor & Public Employees Committee