Council 4 Announces Priorities for 2022 Legislative Session

The General Assembly convenes on Wednesday, February 9, for a "short" legislative session that is concludes May 4.

Council 4's legislative priorities, informed by discussions with Council 4 leaders and members, reflect a commitment to advocating for workers’ rights and collective bargaining and properly funding quality public services at the state and local levels as we continue to deal with the pandemic.

Protecting Collective Bargaining & Workers' Rights

Support:

  • Approval of all state employees collective bargaining agreements and arbitration awards.
  • Increases in state grants for municipalities.
  • Rights of public employees to join or support their union.
  • Proposals from the Paraeducator Advisory Council that will improve working conditions for Paraeducators.
  • Increased behavioral health protection for police officers, as to conform with new testing requirements in the police accountability law.
  • Safe staffing levels in state & municipal agencies, including for Correction Officers and Dispatchers.
  • Bill for Juneteenth holiday for state workers.

Oppose:

  • Attempts to weaken binding arbitration for state, municipal, and board of education employees.
  • Changes to municipal employee pensions and their pension rights.
  • Efforts to unilaterally change state employee pension and healthcare rights.
Strengthening Public Education At All Levels

  • Support education funding for local boards of education and protections for school employees impacted by COVID-19.
  • Support improving professional development opportunities, pay, and benefits for school paraprofessionals.
  • Support increasing funding for the CSU system/UConn.
  • Support indoor air quality legislation.
  • Oppose consolidation of the 12 independently accredited community colleges.
Supporting Fair Budgets and a Healthy Economy

Support:

  • Increasing and/or maintaining funding for state agencies, municipalities, and local Boards of Education to protect vital services.
  • Pandemic pay for frontline workers.
  • Restoring taxes on the wealthy and other proposals by the Recovery For All coalition.
  • Requiring municipalities to explore savings by joining the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership 2.0 Plan.
Stopping Corrupt Privatization While Improving Accountability
  • Support funding and strengthening the State Contracting Standards Board.
  • Oppose efforts to privatize state, municipal, or quasi-public agencies.
  • Oppose expansion of public-private partnerships for state and municipal services.
  • Oppose any recommendations for a public-private partnership at the UConn Health Center.