PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- On a night when top union leaders were seen leaving the governor's office, state Treasurer Gina Raimondo urged against private negotiations to settle the lawsuit against the state's sweeping public-employee pension overhaul.
With a court hearing set for Friday, Raimondo said: "I think we need to pause and remember the process that led to this pension legislation, which was 11 months of open dialogue. Public labor was at the table every step of the way; 36 hours of hearings where labor was well represented.
"It was an open process, a transparent process and everybody had a chance to say their piece, and there was a great deal of negotiation that happened at that time.
"The state has a strong case... a great legal team. There is no contract here, and I think we need to respect the judicial system and let this play out," she said.
Unions brought the legal challenge to the pension-reform act. The Friday hearing will be on the state's motion to dismiss the case.