FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

SEN. KUSHNER LEADS FINAL PASSAGE IN SENATE OF A BILL TO SUPPORT STRIKING WORKERS AND OTHER NEEDY FAMILIES

State Senator Julie Kushner (D-Danbury) today led final passage in the Senate of a bill that creates the “Connecticut Families and Workers Account” to be used by the state comptroller to assist low-income workers in the state – including union members who are out on strike.

The new account is financed with up to $3 million in unexpended funds from the Fiscal Year 2024 State Employees Health Services Costs within the State Comptroller – Fringe Benefits account that will be carried forward into Fiscal Year 2025, which begins July 1.

House Bill 5431 passed the Senate just before midnight Wednesday as the last bill of the 2024 session on a partisan 23-12 vote; it now heads to Governor Lamont for his signature into law.

“There was a lot of discussion over the past few months about the need to level the playing field for striking workers so they could exercise their rights under the law without fear of having to feed their families or maybe losing their homes,” Sen. Kushner said. “Now it’s up to the comptroller to administer this fund in the best way possible, which I’m sure he will do.”

“Labor law is heavily weighted in favor of employers. In fact, they have their thumb on the scale during negotiations,” said Ed Hawthorne, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. “But the General Assembly took a major step towards leveling the playing field for working people by establishing a fund to aid striking workers. House Bill 5431 will allow workers to exercise their right to strike without simultaneously facing foreclosures, evictions and repossessions. It follows the example set by New York and New Jersey who have had similar laws on the books for several years.”

The concept of the “Connecticut Families and Workers Account” is rooted in House Bill 5164, “AN ACT CONCERNING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS,” which would have allowed striking employees to access unemployment benefits after a period of two consecutive weeks of striking. The bill received wide support at its public hearing and passed out of the committee on a partisan 8-4 vote.

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