The administration of Gov. Ned Lamont has invoked emergency powers to enter no-bid contracts totaling about $4 million with two private corporations to handle Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) applications and track benefits overpayments for the state Department of Labor — and state employee unions are blasting the move.

Union officials say that the administration is overusing the emergency powers that the legislature has granted the governor during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I fully support … no-bid contracting for PPE and other things that will save lives,” said Sal Luciano, president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. “If it keeps someone from dying, who cares if a face mask costs an extra dime?”

But he said the state shouldn’t be privatizing administrative functions that aren’t life-and-death matters.

“We understand the governor has certain rights to exercise executive authority to protect people during the pandemic,” Luciano said. “But we don’t believe state agencies have the