Largest state union upset over criticism surrounding budget talk

The leader of the union with the largest number of state employees is bristling over criticism of union members. Last week all three of the unions the represent state workers rejected a request to re-open contract talks so salaries could be frozen, as many state workers are scheduled to get a previously-negotiated pay hike soon. That’s prompted criticism of the unions, particularly the largest, which is AFSCME, for insisting on wage hikes in the midst of expected state workers layoffs. AFSCME president Jan Corderman says it’s unfair to blame the nearly 39-thousand state workers represented by her union. She says while AFSCME workers voted last November to delay their pay hike by four months to help ease the budget situation, neither of the other unions did so, and neither did non-union workers in state government.