Facing tough fiscal times, Hamden’s Town Hall and library workers have agreed to take furlough days and defer raises in return for protections against layoffs and further concessions.
The following release from AFSCME spells out the terms:
Members of the AFSCME bargaining units representing Hamden Town Hall and Hamden Library employees have voted to accept contract concessions to help the town meet its fiscal challenges.
In separate votes taken at recent union meetings, members of AFSCME Local 2863 (Town Hall/School Crossing Guards) and AFSCME Local 1303-115 (Miller Library) agreed to defer 1.25% of the scheduled July 1, 2019 wage increase to January 1, 2020; and to accept two furlough days (one to be used prior to June 30, 2019, the other between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020).
The town in return agreed to layoff protection through June 30, 2021 and that there will be no further concessions through June 30, 2021.
“Our members once again have stepped up to the plate to do what’s right for our town,” said AFSCME Local 2863 President Kim Craft, who works as an Elderly Outreach Counselor. “We hope the Mayor and the Legislative Council recognize the continuing economic sacrifices our members make to keep Hamden operating.”
Local 1303-115 Co-President and Hamden Library Custodian Bonnie Greco added: “The work we do at Miller Library impacts the Hamden community in many positive ways,” Greco said. “As employees, we understand the importance of doing our part to protect Hamden’s quality of life in our town.”
Together, the two Council 4 bargaining units represent approximately 120 employees.
Kevin Murphy, who serves as Council 4’s Director of Collective Bargaining and Organizing, urged the Legislative Council and the Mayor to appreciate the continued sacrifice of town employees and to engage them more constructively in meeting the challenges ahead.
“The employees we represent care about Hamden and are proud of the work they do,” Murphy commented. “They are also taxpayers, and they deserve better than an endless cycle of contract concessions that amounts to a secondary tax increase.”