Connecticut State Workers Approve New Concessions Deal

HARTFORD, CT (WCBS 880/AP) - Leaders of Connecticut's unionized state employees say rank-and-file members have voted to ratify a labor savings and concessions agreement.

WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau On The Story

The results give Gov. Dannel P. Malloy the go-ahead to rescind thousands of layoff notices and forgo additional state budget cuts.

The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition announced Thursday inside a packed a Hartford union hall that members voted in favor of the changes to the workers' health and retirement benefits and wage-related concessions.

It marked the second attempt to approve a deal that Malloy has been counting on to balance the state budget. The failure of a first vote by unionized workers in June was an embarrassment for the Democrat, who has prided himself on being more pro-union than some other Republican governors.

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)