Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

February 22, 2024

Unemployment benefits for striking workers is ‘labor’s priority this session’

HBJ Photo | Skyler Frazer State Rep. Manny Sanchez (D-New Britain) speaks during a press conference related to expanding unemployment benefits to striking workers in Connecticut.
By Skyler Frazer

Democrats invited organized labor officials and workers to the Legislative Office Building in Hartford this week to advocate for a proposal that would give unemployment benefits to striking workers.

House Bill 5164 would allow striking employees to access unemployment benefits after two consecutive weeks on the picket lines. It is similar to a Democratic proposal that passed in the state Senate last year, but didn’t get through the House. 

Republicans were opposed to the bill last year. The Connecticut Business & Industry Association has also opposed the bill in the past.

The Labor and Public Employees Committee is holding a public hearing on the bill today. During a press conference before the hearing, Connecticut AFL-CIO President Ed Hawthorne called the proposal “labor’s priority this session.”

“This bill is a labor peace bill because it will keep (workers) at the table, it will force the employer to negotiate in good faith and will prevent strikes. The numbers show that it will not have an adverse effect on the unemployment compensation fund, and it does not lengthen strikes whatsoever,” Hawthorne said.

The labor committee’s co-chairs, state Sen. Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) and state Rep. Manny Sanchez, agreed, expressing confidence the bill would pass this session.

"It is time for Connecticut to extend those benefits, and we have no choice but to do so when people are fighting for livable wages,” Sanchez said.

Other members of Democratic leadership also expressed support for the bill, with Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney saying the bill would help “level the playing field for employers and employees” in terms of negotiating for contracts and workers benefits for employees.

“It’s just a matter of fairness and equity for workers,” Looney said.

Republican officials weren’t immediately available for comment following the press conference.

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

0 Comments

Order a PDF