Press Room

Working People Achieved Significant Wins in 2026 Legislative Session

CT AFL-CIO
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ROCKY HILL – The 2026 legislative session, which convened in early February and adjourns on May 6, delivered one of the strongest pro-worker agendas in recent Connecticut history.

Most notably, the Connecticut General Assembly passed House Bill 5003, a sweeping labor omnibus package, with strong bipartisan support. Its passage marked a significant step forward for workers’ rights, workplace safety, and fair pay.

Important provisions in the legislation include:

  • Establishes a minimum wage for cannabis workers
  • Extends “portal-to-portal” workers’ compensation coverage to public works department workers
  • Requires entities that take over service contracts to retain those workers for at least 90 days
  • Provides enhanced workers’ compensation benefits to teachers, paraeducators, health care providers, and related employees who are assaulted on the job and unable to work
  • Requires employers to include a position’s wage or wage range in job postings
  • Allows surviving family members of correction officers and investigators killed in the line of duty to receive benefits from the Fallen Hero Fund
  • Creates a streamlined process to remove dangerous double utility poles
  • Waives tuition at CT State and CSCU for eligible police officers, firefighters, and EMS personnel

“This legislative session delivered real, meaningful progress for working people across Connecticut,” said Ed Hawthorne, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. “From strengthening workplace protections to extending workers’ compensation benefits, many legislators stood up for the working people of this state. We are deeply grateful to the State Senators and State Representatives that worked tirelessly over the last four months to ensure workers secured these long-overdue victories.”

State workers, including correction officers, plow truck drivers, teachers, and social workers, were also able to settle a fair contract with Gov. Ned Lamont. The General Assembly approved their contracts last week, delivering a fair 2.5% annual wage increase with normal step increases.

“Our state workers are the backbone of Connecticut’s infrastructure and public services,” said Shellye Davis, Secretary-Treasurer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. “Their raises are long overdue and reflect the essential work they provide every day to all Connecticut residents. I am grateful to all of the legislators that understand the value our public service workers provide and voted for their contracts. That includes the seven brave Republicans who did the right thing by supporting these workers.”

Another major victory included nearly $300 million in one-time funding for municipalities and local Boards of Education in a year where many towns and cities were facing steep budget deficits.

The legislature also voted on Monday to strengthen Connecticut’s prevailing wage laws.

“Prevailing wage laws are designed to ensure that workers on public construction projects are compensated fairly and in line with local standards,” said President Hawthorne. “When contractors violate those laws, it harms construction workers and undercuts responsible employers who follow the law.”

Senate Bill 268 would allow the State Comptroller to stop payments to state-funded projects when a contractor steals workers wages and violates prevailing wage laws.

“Connecticut taxpayers fund public construction projects,” continued President Hawthorne. “Our tax dollars should never reward contractors who break the law and commit wage theft. This legislation sends a clear message that wage theft will not be tolerated in our state.”

While the overall session saw major victories for working people, the Connecticut AFL-CIO expressed its disappointment on several missed opportunities.

“Despite the significant progress made this year, we’re disappointed in the lack of higher education funding and the lack of truly meaningful worker protections in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” said Hawthorne. “Senate Bill 5 was an important first step, but we look forward to working with the Governor and the legislature to have more worker-centric protections in the next legislative session.”

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