'Clean contracting' key to protecting members' jobs and quality public services

Three states have now passed "clean contracting" laws, which are the first line of defense against privatization of public services. On Oct. 6, Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell signed the measure into law. The new law, which is expected to take effect in 2008, establishes a State Contracting Standards Board that will, among other things, review, monitor, authorize and audit state agencies’ procurement processes for services and projects.

"More than anything else, this law introduces transparency into the process," says AFT Connecticut lobbyist Susan Heller Williams, noting that "transparency is key to exposing the real costs of privatization."

Enactment of clean contracting standards, including mandated cost-benefit analyses, has been a priority of AFT Connecticut for more than a decade. "We’re very excited to have finally won passage of the clean contracting bill in Connecticut," says Paul Krell, president of the Administrative & Residual Employees Union, AFT Connecticut’s largest state employee local. "The bill represents an extremely important step toward curtailing privatization of public services in our state."

Williams attributes this year’s victory to perseverance, public outreach and political action. Over the years, the union never retreated from its effort to bring greater transparency and accountability into government contracting. AFT Connecticut also worked in coalition with other public employee unions in the state to educate the public about the diminution of services that often follows privatization of public services. And in the 2006 elections, the state federation and its locals worked hard to elect candidates to state office who supported clean contracting legislation, among other priority issues of the union’s members.

Passage of this bill is long overdue for public employees. In July 2004, Connecticut Gov. John Rowland resigned amid a contracting scandal and later pled guilty to a corruption charge involving his personal dealings with state contractors.

Connecticut joins Montana’s MEA-MFT and the New York State Public Employees Federation as AFT affiliates who have successfully lobbied for contracting standards, which are essential to protecting members’ jobs—and protecting quality public services.