Connecticut Workers Are Doing Their Part, What About Government?

The following first appeared in the opinion sections of Hearst Connecticut Media newspapers. It is reposted here with the permission of the author.

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Every day, 1.6 million private sector employees across Connecticut go to work. 

They build aircraft parts and submarines. They care for patients. They develop new technologies. They work in restaurants, retail stores, banks, construction sites, offices, and small businesses in communities across our state. 

They are doing their part. 

Connecticut has one of the most talented and productive workforces in the country. Productivity is up 3%. Economic output is up 3%. We exported a record $17.8 billion in goods last year. 

People are working. Businesses are producing. Together, they are adapting, innovating, and competing.  

Affordability Crisis

I am reminded every day that the work we do in Glastonbury extends far beyond our own walls. Our products, services, and partnerships contribute to operations that impact people around the world. That responsibility is both a privilege and a motivator. 

My focus is creating an environment where employees feel respected and appreciated, where innovation and excellence drive competitiveness, and where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential. 

However, an increasingly troubling disconnect exists between how hard Connecticut residents are working and how far their paychecks are taking them. 

Financial pressures continue to mount for families.

Financial pressures continue to mount for families. Half of residents surveyed in a CBIA Foundation Consumer Outlook survey say they are worse off financially than a year ago, nearly 90% report rising household expenses, and many struggle to cover medical costs. 

Think about that. People are working. Productivity is increasing. Businesses and employees are producing more—yet half our residents still say they’re falling behind. 

That’s an affordability crisis. 

Practical Solutions

Some of the pressures facing families and businesses are beyond our control. But that doesn’t mean we’re powerless to act. 

There are costs we can address right here at home, and the business community has stepped forward with practical solutions. 

Small businesses shouldn’t have to pay more for healthcare simply because they’re small. That’s why CBIA supports banding together to access health coverage, matching the purchasing power of larger employers. 

When employers spend less keeping up with rising costs, they have more room to invest in their people.

And when businesses and families are struggling with some of the highest energy costs in the country, we should be looking for ways to lower those bills. 

These aren’t simply business issues. 

Lower healthcare costs help small employers provide quality benefits while allowing workers to keep more of what they earn. Lower energy costs mean relief at the kitchen table and on the shop floor. 

And when employers spend less keeping up with rising costs, they have more room to invest in their people, raise wages, buy equipment, expand, and create jobs. 

Shared Opportunities

I’ve never believed that what’s good for businesses and what’s good for workers are competing interests. In fact, the opposite is true. 

When businesses grow, they create jobs. Good jobs create opportunities for families. Strong families build strong communities. And strong communities create the foundation for long-term economic growth. 

That’s exactly why we should stop viewing these challenges through competing lenses and embrace them as shared opportunities. When businesses, workers, and families succeed together, Connecticut succeeds. 

We should all be pulling in the same direction. 

Are the decisions that lawmakers are making in Hartford helping?

That begs the question: Are the decisions that lawmakers are making in Hartford helping? 

Most Connecticut residents don’t have time to follow every hearing, debate, and vote at the Capitol. They’re busy working, raising families, and running businesses. 

Transparency matters. 

CBIA follows what happens in Hartford. We analyze legislation, propose solutions, and track votes because those decisions eventually show up in workplaces, household budgets, and paychecks across Connecticut. 

Residents shouldn’t have to become policy experts to follow those decisions. 

Who’s Working for You?

That’s why we launched the Who’s Working for You? campaign. 

The idea is simple: while you’re working, decisions are made that affect what your paycheck buys, what you pay for electricity and healthcare, whether businesses can grow jobs and, ultimately, whether Connecticut becomes more or less affordable. 

You deserve to know about those decisions, so you can decide for yourself. 

Who’s Working for You? From #healthcare and #energy to #housing and #childcare, #affordability is the defining issue for the fall elections. CBIA is launching a new campaign to help voters understand where candidates stand on critical issues. Learn more: https://t.co/dtXt9pN3Rj https://t.co/E7lrSpMdTX

— CBIA (@CBIANews) September 23, 2026

Look at the record. Look at the results. Ask whether your lawmakers support policies that make Connecticut more affordable. 

I believe deeply in this state. Connecticut is my home, and I want it to be a place where people can build careers, raise families, grow businesses, and create lasting opportunities. 

We have world-class industries and innovative employers. And most importantly, we have a workforce that keeps showing up, adapting, and producing. 

Connecticut workers are doing their part. Employers are doing their part. We’ve put solutions on the table. 

Now residents deserve to know whether the decisions being made in Hartford are helping us all get ahead. 

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 Brian Montanari is chair of CBIA’s board of directors and president and CEO of HABCO Industries in Glastonbury.