Robinson said she and other state employees resent being put in the position of coming up with the givebacks and savings needed to fill a $2 billion hole that was purposely left in the two-year, $40.1 billion state budget Malloy signed into law last week — all under the threat of 4,700 state positions being eliminated. They're disappointed, Robinson said, that Malloy hasn't imposed higher taxes on Connecticut's wealthy and gone after the corporations and banks they believe are not paying their fair share of taxes.

"I would expect that from somebody that we didn't put in office," Robinson said.

Robinson said she's willing to make some small sacrifices, such as a couple more furlough days. "But I don't want my benefits changed," she said. Her veteran co-workers, especially those with 10 or more years, have told Robinson they're unwilling to make any concessions.

"We have given. We have given until it hurts," she said. "We can't really give any more."

If there's a deal, it could come soon. Malloy postponed plans last week to issue the first round of approximately 4,000 layoff notices to give SEBAC and the administration's negotiators more time to keep meeting.

A high bar must be reached for any changes to the 20-year health and pension benefits agreement in place for state employees. Rank-and-file members from 13 of the 15 unions that SEBAC represents must approve any deal reached by the leadership. The timeframe for individual union votes varies from less than a week to several weeks.

If there are any proposed changes to wages, each individual union would cast a second vote. A simple majority is needed.

Oscar Gomez, 58, an information technology analyst at the Department of Social Services who has worked for the state since 1988, has lived through several attempts by governors to secure concessions from the unions.

Gomez said dealing with Malloy has been particularly difficult.

"I think that our expectations were higher of having this administration work with us and not be so strong-arm," he said. "It's tough."

Gomez said state employees, who live the state budget crisis every day and understand the need for state services, are willing to help solve the state's budget woes. There's a $3.3 billion deficit projected in the new fiscal year. But considering unions made concessions in 2009, he said it seems too soon for more.

"I think this one is so close to … '09 that I think that has a lot to do with our frustration. At least there was a few years between '91 and '92 and 2003 and again in 2009," he said. "And this is two years later and they're coming back to us."

Dawn Tyson, 35, a processing technician at the Department of Social Services, said she remains hopeful her union leaders can reach an agreement that will avoid layoffs.

Tyson, a single mother and former DSS client who started working for the state as a clerk, said she makes a modest income and struggles every day to provide for her children. She said any labor savings deal needs to be fair and not be the sole responsibility of one group of taxpayers: state employees.

"I know that we'll have to give, we will have to pay our fair share and we will have to do our part in it. But I believe that while we are instrumental in the solution, we are not the solution," Tyson said. "Whatever give-backs that are needed, I believe that those are ones we can make. It's a difference between having a scar that may eventually heal or losing my life. And if I lose my job, I lose my life."