Judicial Employees Applaud Contract Arbitration Award, Urge Administration to Avoid Further Delays

Judicial Employees Applaud Contract Arbitration Award, Urge Administration to Avoid Further Delays
Critical need for fair and honorable contracts for all state employees in order to resolve the public service crisis is underscored by a neutral arbitrator’s decision 

Today’s arbitration award affirms what workers have been telling the Administration for the past year: a 2.5% wage increase and fair step movement is the bare minimum that Judicial Branch workers could expect from the Administration for the 2025-2026 contract year. This award comes months after the Administration made the same offer to the Connecticut State Police Union, and the General Assembly approved it—setting a clear precedent for the minimum that is necessary to stabilize public safety and justice-system staffing.

However, with the award arriving nearly six months after contract expiration—and with workers still months away from seeing any wage increase pending General Assembly approval—the Administration has lost the recruitment and retention relief these raises were supposed to deliver. As a result, the second and third years of these contracts are now even more critical if Connecticut hopes to rebuild its dwindling workforce and fill hard-to-staff positions at a time when state public services are more essential than ever amid growing federal instability.

Today’s award was the result of the Judicial Professionals Employees (JPE) boldly declaring impasse on a one year agreement and  IBPO Local 731 Judicial Marshals and the Supervising Judicial Marshals (SJM) of CSEA SEIU Local 2001 quickly following suit. 

In spite of this win, there is still work to be done and the longer these contracts are delayed, the less our agencies will be able to retain critical talent, let alone recruit effectively to fill the thousands of vacancies that have been funded by our Legislature.  State employees are ‘The CT Difference.’ Every day, we keep our communities running — protecting the public and providing the essential services we all count on..  It’s time to stop the games and respect us. 

Inadequate, one-size-fits-all salary investments will do little to address the public service crisis. Fair, honorable contracts for state employees should meet the moment and meet the workforce’s recruitment and retention needs. A strong, stable workforce is key to assuring the public can count on the services we all depend on. 

Link - December 3, 2025 Arbitration Award

The Judicial Professional Employees (JPE) Union, AFT Local 4200-B represents members across 80 different job classes at nearly as many Judicial Branch locations across the state of Connecticut. SJM represents Lieutenants and Captains in the Judicial branch who perform supervisory roles throughout the court’s system. IBPO Local 731 represents Judicial Marshals throughout the State of Connecticut.