Malloy: New Union Deal to Emerge in 'Couple of Days'

The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition has amended its by-laws Monday, opening the door for a new union deal to be struck and possibly avert cuts and thousands of layoffs that would have likely come in the absence of a new deal, officials said.

"Given the limited number of issues that have been identified as problematic, it shouldn't take more than a couple of days to have a clarified agreement that's ready to be voted on by all state employees," Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a press release issued Monday afternoon.

package even though a majority of state workers approved Malloy’s concession agreement through a complex voting process. That was because union rules required 80 percent of all state workers and at least 14 of the state’s 15 unions to ratify the agreement, all of which weren't reached.

Under the amendments made on Monday, ratification would require a majority of per capita votes and a majority of SEBAC voting unions. That means the per capita votes would be weighted based on the reported union membership of the unit.

SEBAC said on its website that union leaders recognized that a new deal was needed.

"The cuts in the executive and judicial branch budget would quickly cause chaos and create a Connecticut that none of us recognizes," according to the website statement.

The union called on Malloy's administration to begun negotiating a new agreement for its membership to vote on, which Malloy said would happen within the next couple of days.

"It’s good news that the unions have changed their ratification process to one that respects the will of the majority," Malloy said in the press release. "Over the next few days (Deputy Budget Director) Mark Ojakian will be speaking with SEBAC leaders to understand which issues in the agreement need to be clarified."

Newtown's Rep. Chris Lyddy (D-106) was among those who had called on the unions to do whatever was necessary to return to the negotiating table.

"I am glad the unions have decided to find their way back to the table so that they may ratify an agreement with our governor," Lyddy said in an e-mail. "I am encouraged by their action today and am hopeful we can get our state back on track again quickly."