Governor is pursuing tentative wage settlements with state government bargaining units, bringing the total eligible for raises to about 45,000 unionized employees if the General Assembly approves.

In total, tentative agreements cover more than 20 additional units in addition to 11 already announced, creating a clear path to raises for roughly 45,000 unionized workers subject to legislative action.

The deals are designed to boost competitiveness, recruitment, and retention in Connecticut’s public sector ahead of the May 6 legislative deadline.

Labor leaders welcome the deals as a remedy for understaffed agencies, with public safety unions underscoring the importance for workforce stability.

Remote-work rules largely remain unchanged from the 2020-2021 expansions, despite calls for reform and productivity improvements through more in-office work, with policies extending through another year.

Lamont stresses the importance of state employees in public safety, education, infrastructure, and services, urging a quick approval to deliver raises and bolster retention and recruitment.

The package contemplates a 2.5% general wage increase for most workers this year (retroactive to July 1), followed by 2.5% raises in each of the next two fiscal years, with potential additional about 2 percentage points from annual step increases.

The contracts effectively span four fiscal years, with 2028-29 wages to be negotiated closer to that budget cycle, and legislative action is needed by the session’s end.

If the legislature ratifies the raises, a 2021 equity provision would trigger similar pay hikes for non-union staff.

Context: Lamont is seeking reelection; cost-of-living and step increases for state police troopers were granted for 2025-26, and tentative deals with multiple bargaining units had been reached by mid-March.