Workers Have Given Back

The Courant’s call for state employees to “step up” to close the budget deficit [Sept. 14, editorial, “Labor Needs To Step Up”] didn’t acknowledge the extent to which front-line state workers have stepped up repeatedly to make substantial sacrifices for the good of Connecticut.

I’m one of those workers. By agreeing to three years of wage freezes, higher health-care co-payments, increased pensions contributions and furlough days, state employees provided $1.6 billion in savings for the current biennium and $24 billion over 20 years.

As former Courant business columnist Dan Haar wrote last year, state employees gave up an average of $17,500 per worker over two years. Basically, we closed a third of the current budget deficit through our concessions. I don’t recall anyone else — not CEOs, not the super-rich — making that sacrifice.

I work in social services and have the privilege of helping our most vulnerable residents. The Courant needs to stop painting state employees like me with a broad brush by employing phrases like “Cadillac benefits.” I have five years of state service, and if I’m fortunate to retire after 30 years, my pension will be about $1,600 a month.

The Courant should thank state employees instead of blaming us and stirring up public sentiment against us. We did not cause Connecticut’s budget problems, but we have been a steady and constant solution.

Rohan Trevon Brown, Shelton