An Act Increasing The Per Diem Rate For Members Of The State Board Of Labor Relations And Compensation For Members Of The Board Of Mediation And Arbitration.
Summary
SB 1037 increases the per diem and related compensation paid to members of two labor-adjudication bodies in Connecticut: the State Board of Labor Relations and the Board of Mediation and Arbitration. For the State Board of Labor Relations, the bill raises the daily payment in lieu of expenses from $150 to $300 for each day a member performs board duties. For the Board of Mediation and Arbitration, it increases compensation for panel members at the conclusion of proceedings, including higher payments for issuing written decisions, additional days of hearings, and executive panel sessions.
The bill also makes conforming changes to the statutes governing how these boards operate and when decisions must be issued and filed. The effective dates are October 1, 2025, for the compensation changes and related statutory amendments. In practical terms, the measure updates compensation for quasi-judicial labor board service and does not alter the substantive labor rights or dispute-resolution standards handled by these boards.
Impact
The bill amends sections 31-102 and 31-98 of the general statutes, changing the compensation structure for members of the Connecticut State Board of Labor Relations and the Board of Mediation and Arbitration. It increases per diem and case-related payments, which may affect state administrative costs and the budgeting for the Labor Department and related labor dispute resolution functions. The bill does not change the underlying jurisdiction or authority of the boards, but it does adjust the financial terms for board service and hearing participation.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests generally favorable support for the bill, though not unanimous. It received a unanimous vote to draft in the Labor Committee, a narrower but still favorable joint-favorable substitute vote in committee, and then passed the Appropriations Committee with a solid majority. The pattern indicates that legislators broadly accepted the need to update compensation for these labor boards, even if some members had reservations about the spending increase.
Contention
The main point of contention appears to be the cost of increasing compensation for appointed board members and hearing panel participants, since the bill raises state expenditures without changing substantive labor law. The split votes in committee suggest some lawmakers questioned whether the increases were necessary or appropriately sized, while supporters likely viewed them as a routine adjustment to compensate members fairly for quasi-judicial work and to support efficient labor dispute resolution. No transcript discussion was provided, so the record does not show any broader policy dispute beyond compensation and fiscal impact.