Malloy Says Talks With State Employees Continue, Gives Few Specifics

As he threatens to layoff 4,700 state employees should his administration and state labor unions not find common ground, Governor Dannel Malloy spoke to hundreds of union machinists at Pratt and Whitney.  WNPR's Jeff Cohen reports.

 

Malloy spoke at a rally celebrating a series of successes for the Connecticut-based jet engine maker.  Those successes, he said, were all about cooperation.

 

"This combination of labor and a great company coming together to assure our prosperity is a great lesson for us all to learn.  We can put our differences aside, we can rise to the occasion, we can make a better company, we can make a better product. And without that cooperation and without that level of understanding that we've go to work together to win these battles, we would not be celebrating today."

 

Malloy was speaking to Pratt and Whitney workers, but he sounded like he was sending a message to state employees.

 

The governor delayed sending out layoff notices this week. A coalition of 15 state employee unions said in a statement that it continues to fight against layoffs as it works to find $2 billion in labor savings over two years.

 

After the rally, Malloy said talks were continuing. If a deal can't be reached, the governor’s budget chief has recommended cutting 4,700 positions to save money - in addition to other spending cuts.

 

Asked whether he was concerned that talks were talking a while, Malloy said this:

 

Malloy: No.

 

Question:  And why not?

 

Malloy: Because I'd be concerned if it hadn't taken long.  Because it would have meant that we weren't making progress.

 

The governor said that there is a deadline after which point talks will end, but he would not say what that deadline is.

 

For WNPR, I'm Jeff Cohen.