Apparently Connecticut Is No Wisconsin. Despite ground breaking legislation in Wisconsin, Michigan and other locales aimed at providing relief for cash strapped municipalities, none of the initiatives proposed in Connecticut have found any traction in Committee. Among the reforms sought was one which would have kept interest arbitration intact, but provided minor relief, such as in the way arbitrators are picked. Under the current system, the neutral arbitrator is mutually agreed to by the parties. Some critics feel this system places pressure on arbitrators not to issue awards that are unduly harsh to one side or the other. The proposed changed would have made selection random.
Other seemingly minor changes were proposed. The failure of these initiatives provides ammunition to those who feel the General Assembly is too union friendly for any meaningful reform to take hold in Connecticut.