Hollingsworth comments on agreements struck between Schwarzenegger administration and employee unions

SACRAMENTO – Last week, Senate Republican Leader Dennis Hollingsworth issued the following statement on the tentative contract agreements reached between the Schwarzenegger administration and the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Department of Forestry Firefighters, California Association of Psychiatric Technicians and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees:

“Governor Schwarzenegger and these four unions are to be commended for staying at the bargaining table and working on solutions to reform the unsustainable public pension system. While the agreements will provide immediate and long-term savings to taxpayers, there are statutory changes that still need to be made to ensure there is not an incentive for a contract impasse in the future. I look forward to meeting with the administration and union representatives to review the savings and provisions contained in these proposed contracts.”

Hollingsworth is the author of Senate Bill 919, legislation that would reduce pension benefits for all newly hired state employees.