By Mike O’Brien, President, CSEA Retiree Council 400

Connecticut is poised to end the fiscal year with a $2.3 billion surplus - the second - largest in state history. Yet despite this financial windfall, our ability to invest in the services and people that make our state strong remains blocked by outdated fiscal “guardrails.”

Mechanisms like the spending cap and volatility adjustment were created to bring discipline to state budgeting.But they are undermining our ability to meet the moment. These restrictions prevent the legislature from using available funds - even when needs are urgent and the revenue is reliable.

That’s a problem for everyone in Connecticut. But it’s especially dangerous for retirees, as we approach our first opportunity to renegotiate the SEBAC retiree healthcare and pension agreement since 1997.

These negotiations, set to formally begin in 2026, will directly impact our pensions and our access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. With costs rising and federal COVID aid drying up, we need flexibility - not austerity - to respond to today’s challenges.

That’s why CSEA Council 400 is already taking action. We know our strength at the bargaining table comes from our numbers and our unity. And I’m proud to share that over the past year, we’ve recruited nearly 800 new members, bringing our total to around 12,500 dues-paying retirees and spouses. That’s a testament to the strength of our movement - and to the power of retiree organizing.

Much of this success is thanks to the outstanding leadership of Tom Welch and Doug Racicot, Co-Chairs of the CSEA Council 400 Recruitment Committee. Tom, a retired educator since 2009, remains a proud and active member of this union, sharing lessons in solidarity and strategy. Doug, who retired from UConn in 2019 after years as a building maintenance supervisor, brings the same teamwork and commitment to his role in Council 400. I want to personally thank both of them for their hard work, and for continuing to lead by example in retirement.

We know what’s coming. The State may once again try to shift healthcare costs onto retirees. Our ability to respond - and to win - depends on staying organized and growing our numbers. Council 400 is:

• Advancing proposals to protect the long-term stability of the pension system

• Fighting to ensure affordable, high-quality healthcare for retirees

• Keeping members informed and engaged through chapter meetings, surveys, and direct communication

Everyone receiving CSEA News is already a member - and that matters. But we can do more. If you know a fellow retiree or spouse who hasn’t joined, please reach out. Membership is just $5 a month, and it makes a big difference. You can even sign up before retirement at CSEA-CT.com or by contacting Kevin P. Sullivan, our Retiree Organizer, at (860) 951-6614 x118 or ksullivan@csea760.com.

Meanwhile, we’re joining union members statewide in urging Governor Lamont to declare a fiscal emergency - a legal step that would allow lawmakers to adjust these restrictive caps and put surplus funds to work. This isn’t about abandoning fiscal responsibility; it’s about using it. Letting billions sit idle while our needs grow is not discipline - it’s disinvestment.

Let’s meet the pension and healthcare negotiations with strength. Let’s ensure no retiree stands alone. And let’s demand a budget that reflects our values and our contributions.

In solidarity,
Mike O’Brien
President, CSEA Retiree Council 400