The Connecticut General Assembly has placed 34 deputy prison wardens into a supervisory union and given them pay raises.
Senate President Martin Looney says the salary increase is necessary because the deputy wardens haven’t had a raise in eight years.
“It’s just plain equity on the side of recognizing the hard work of these employees who in many cases now earn less than people whom they are supervising.”
Republicans voted against the pay raise. They say the unions were not designed to protect management, and adding more employees would only add to the state’s long-term pension liabilities.
The pay increases and benefits will cost the state $218,000 next year, and will go up to about $579,000 after 2021.
