The latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast, recorded for February 2022, examines the significance of Black History Month and the challenges facing the labor and civil rights movements. Our guests are Council 4 Civil Rights Committee Co-Chair Harold Brooks (Local 3144), and Committee members Patricia Davis (Local 318) and Claudine Wilkins-Chambers (Local 3429).

Click here to listen to our latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast. 

Council 4 members played a key part in the successful effort by the State Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) to create a workable telework policy for state employees that underscores the importance of making sure our members can provide vital public services during the continuing COVID pandemic and its variants.

President Joe Biden’s roughly $1.8 trillion Build Back Better Act represents what AFSCME President Lee Saunders describes as a “sea change moment” that will prioritize the needs of working families.

The Build Back Better Act will help working people. It will create jobs, lower costs and protect our rights in the workplace

AFSCME President Lee Saunders on Monday joined President Joe Biden and members of his administration, as well as a bipartisan group of lawmakers, for the signing ceremony of the historic Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021 is election day throughout Connecticut's cities and towns. It's a day that recalls the old saying that all politics is local.  

Doug Finger of AFSCME Local 1029 (Enfield Department of Public Works) and Jen Horner of AFSCME Local 2836 (State University Organization of Administrative Faculty) understand that maxim and acting on it. 

We’ve said it before: Life is better in a union. 

Workers who belong to unions make more money than their nonunion counterparts. They have better health care insurance and retirement plans, more job security and safer working conditions. They’re happier.

Starting in September, Council 4 is hosting a full range of Fall trainings that will provide the skills and tools to local leaders for building stronger unions.

Here is an overview of workshop topics offered this Fall:

More Americans approve of labor unions today than at any time since 1965, according to annual Gallup poll results released around each Labor Day.

More than two-thirds of poll respondents – 68% – approved of labor unions. That means a clear majority of voters views labor unions favorably. Among adults 18-34 years of age, 77% approve of unions. Support is also high among those with annual household incomes under $40,000.

Behind our union’s newly christened Cameron Wilson Children’s Library – a place for members’ children to sit and read a labor story or play games while their parents attend to union business at Council 4 – is a courageous child and his equally determined parents.

At the center of this story is 5-year-old Cameron Wilson, the son of  Jessica Wilson of Local 269 (P2 State Human & Social Services) and her husband Brendan. In 2017, doctors diagnosed Cameron with leukemia after he had just turned 2 and on the same day of his mom’s birthday.

Organized labor’s determination to help essential workers who were made sick on the job by COVID-19 has led to the creation of the Connecticut Essential Workers COVID-19 Assistance Fund.

During the budget implementer session in mid-June, state legislators finalized the inclusion of $34 million to establish this fund to assist potentially thousands of essential workers who contracted the novel coronavirus on the job through no fault of their own.

Fueled by the efforts of Council 4 members and staff, the state legislature voted to extend limited post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) coverage under workers compensation to correctional employees, EMS workers, public safety dispatchers and health workers.

The bill, SB 660, has been sent to the governor’s desk for his signature.

The Western CT Area Labor Federation and Eastern CT Area Labor Federation are excited to announce a new Labor Leadership Academy (LLA) that aims to create an exclusive opportunity for a diverse group of rising labor leaders. By developing a group of peers who work together, we will bolster future cross-sector solidarity and coalition building.

To recognize the extraordinary efforts of our members and to foster unionism, Council 4 is offering continuing education assistance in the form of a $2,000 per year scholarship for up to four years (max $8,000) to dependents of Council 4 members and retirees.  Each year, the Council 4 Scholarship Committee will select two students to award a $2,000 scholarship that will be paid to the school of the winners.  Winners are eligible for up to four consecutive years by doing a brief presentation to the executive board.

On Saturday, April 17 over 100 low-wage workers, CT Department of Labor (CT DOL) employees, Council 4 members, and community partners, all of whom are members of the Recovery For All coalition, rallied to demand increased funding for the CT DOL.

On this National Library Workers Day, AFSCME library workers deserve to be recognized for the value they bring to our diverse communities and the vital services they provide anyone who asks for help.

Council 4 members across a range of sectors have raised their voices in support of policies that would uplift members of their local, the clients they serve, and their communities.

From topics ranging from tax fairness, protecting retirement security and our state’s only public hospital, to expanding PTSI coverage, creating a workers compensation presumption, and ensuring proper funding for state agencies and our municipalities, union members are making a real impact by sharing their stories and experiences as public service workers.

The Civil Rights Committee of AFSCME Council 4 understands the history of combining civil rights, labor and taking care of community. In that spirit, Black, Indigenous and union leaders of color who work in municipal and state public services have been gathering carload after carload of groceries to feed those in need in New Britain, home to their local union hall.

Labor activists earlier this year began collaborating with community organizations to help fellow residents recover from the economic fall-out of the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) pandemic. That led to the formation of a new coalition, "Recovery for All," initially focused on securing a state budget in the General Assembly's 2021 legislative session that puts people first.

Council 4 AFSCME is a partner in these efforts, and is mobilizing members to move lawmakers and the governor to "do better."

The coalition's broader goals include:

Council 4 Executive Director Jody Barr issued this statement in response to Gov. Lamont's Feb. 22 announcement regarding changes to the State's vaccine rollout plans.

Yesterday, the Governor announced that Connecticut's COVID-19 vaccine rollout will focus on age groups and educational personnel, a change that eliminates priority status for many essential workers.

Black History Month is a time to reflect on the contributions Black people have made to the strength and vitality of our nation. It is also an opportunity to consider how the labor movement – and public employee unions in particular – have created a pathway to the middle class for so many Black families.

We asked four members of Council 4 to share their personal reflections on Black History Month and the role unions can play in strengthening that connection between economic justice and racial justice.

The coronavirus pandemic won’t be controlled until states, cities, towns and schools – and particularly health departments – have the funding they need from the federal government, says AFSCME Retiree Sue Conard.

Conard should know. She spent 24 years as a public health nurse serving Wisconsin’s La Crosse County. One of her many areas of expertise? Immunization.

In his first days on the job, President Joe Biden has taken swift executive action to protect and empower public service workers, strengthen public services and help working people. On his first day alone, he signed 17 executive orders, memorandums and proclamations that showed the kind of bold leadership our country needs now.

AFSCME President Lee Saunders called the victories of the Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff in Georgia’s Senate runoff elections “a bold mandate for change.”

Here’s a crucial reason for working people to do all they can to help Jon Ossoff and the Rev. Raphael Warnock win the Georgia Senate runoff elections in January – federal aid to states, cities, towns and schools.

If Ossoff and Warnock prevail, there will be a pro-worker majority in the U.S. Senate. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, as president of the Senate, will cast the tie-breaking vote when the chamber is deadlocked.

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice president-elect Kamala Harris on Monday brought together business and union leaders, including AFSCME President Lee Saunders, for a virtual meeting to discuss an economic recovery agenda for the country.

Following the meeting, Biden warned of a “dark winter” ahead for the nation and highlighted consensus among the labor leaders and CEOs alike on the need to fund the front lines.

It was bad enough that the Trump administration failed miserably in its response to the coronavirus pandemic, ignoring the science and failing to come up with a national strategy.

It was pathetic and tragic when Republicans in Congress failed to summon the courage to support the everyday heroes who saved our communities by funding the front lines.

AFSCME members in good standing are invited to attend any of our offered trainings that range in topics from how to effectively run a meeting to handling grievances and treasurer finances. 

All trainings are held via Zoom. Local officers, stewards, executive board members and other leaders are encouraged to attend. 

Sept. 4, 2020, HARTFORD, CT -- With Labor Day 2020 around the corner,  a coalition of labor unions, including the Connecticut AFL-CIO, Connecticut Education Association (CEA), State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), and Connecticut Service Employee International Union State Council (CT SEIU State Council), launched a television and digital ad campaign this week focused on a people’s recovery budget rather than billionaire bail-outs. 

The current AFSCME NP-4 collective bargaining agreement with the State of Connecticut expires on June 30, 2021.  

In order to best represent you and the members of the NP-4 Corrections Unit, we ask that you please fill out the following survey and submit ut the completed document to your Local 1565 Union Representatives.

You can access the form below:

With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to devastate the nation’s physical and fiscal health, U.S. Rep Jahana Hayes (CT-5) took time out to urge Council 4 members to make their voices heard in the fierce political battle to approve massive federal aid for states, cities and towns.

Speaking to Council 4’s biweekly Presidents Plus 1 meeting on Zoom earlier this month,  Hayes emphasized the importance of getting the HEROES Act, which passed the House in April, to clear the Senate.

Congressman Joe Courtney from CT’s 2nd District joins us on Council 4 Unplugged to talk about the impact of the coronavirus pandemic and congressional efforts to secure a robust federal aid package -- an initiative we're calling "Fund. the Front Lines" -- to support our state, cities and towns. 

Click here for our latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast. 

Economists of diverse backgrounds, who might otherwise disagree on a range of policy issues, spoke with a single voice on Monday on the need for Congress to provide robust aid to states, cities and towns.

Such aid, they said, is crucial in the midst of an economic crisis that is decimating state and local budgets and threatening essential public services that are critical to beating the pandemic and jumpstarting the economy.

The labor movement is working nonstop to protect the health and safety of all working people throughout Connecticut, and especially for essential workers who are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 21, 2020

Effective immediately,  Council 4 is implementing the following guidelines:

Our union office remains closed to members and staff unless essential.

Council 4 requires everyone to:

For Council 4 AFSCME members, our families, and our communities, the 2020 Census is a "Big Deal."  

Every 10 years, the Census determines how the government allocates funding and resources for vital programs and services. If your community is under-counted, that could affect the money allocated for your job and the services you provide. 

We want to call state and retiree members’ attention to the limited durable power of attorney form, which can be found at the Comptroller’s website.  

Any member participating in the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) and wish designate someone as his or her Attorney-In-Fact must use this form. The LDPOA authorizes your Attorney-In-Fact to perform on your behalf any transactions with SERS that you could request yourself.

Congress has passed – and the president on Friday quickly signed – a $484 billion relief bill for small businesses and hospitals hurting due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to ramp up coronavirus testing. But the measure fails to provide another critical piece of aid – assistance to state and local governments whose ability to provide basic services will collapse absent federal intervention.

Editor’s note: The following is a story from the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, as told by a member in Washington state:

“My name is Kristina Johnson-Short and I am a social services specialist with the Division of Children, Youth and Families in Washington state. I’m a proud AFSCME member, a shop steward and president of AFSCME Local 1054 (WFSE). I am also a domestic violence survivor.

While most people are taking steps to limit contact with others, the vital job duties of AFSCME members require that they do just the opposite. Council 4 members are, and will continue to be, on the front lines providing the vital public services that individuals and families of Connecticut need during this unprecedented global health crisis.

Before the announcement early Wednesday of an unprecedented $2 trillion deal to combat the coronavirus pandemic, AFSCME President Lee Saunders and three front-line workers put pressure on federal lawmakers to come through with a robust aid package for state and local governments so they can rebuild decimated public services.

Please check our special Coronovarius Resource page for Council 4 members for news and info.

Council 4 Executive Director Jody Barr issued the following statement to Council 4 Local Presidents, Executive Board and Delegates to share with all our members:

We recognize that this is a challenging time for everyone.

As the coronavirus (COVID-19) emerges in the United States, many AFSCME members are and will continue to be on the front lines caring for and transporting those afflicted with the virus. Workers in emergency services, health care, child care, educational institutions and many others may come in contact with people who’ve contracted the coronavirus, putting themselves at risk.

Council 4 (and our national AFSCME union) offer a wealth of free training and education opportunities, both in-person and online.

In 2020, Council 4 is launching "Saturday Study Hall" trainings at our office in New Britain.  We've scheduled classes on a wide range of subject matter, from grievance handling, social media and CPR/Opioid training to post-retirement planning, union treasurer responsibilities and OSHA certification.  We are also teaming up with the Connecticut AFL-CIO for a special training geared toward union members running for political office.

The legislature's Labor & Public Employees Committee will hold a public hearing Feb. 25 on proposed legislation to expand Post Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI) coverage under workers' compensation so that it includes front-line Corrections employees (as well as EMS and dispatchers).

Here’s a big reason to join a union – a bigger paycheck.New numbers from U.S. Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show just how much of a difference a union makes in terms of worker pay.

On a normal day, Sandra Pacheco, an administrative assistant in Puerto Rico’s Department of Transportation and Public Works, begins her day at 7 a.m., filing paperwork for her colleagues in the field. It’s a job that Pacheco, who is president of her local, AFSCME Local 3889, Council 95 (Servidores Públicos Unidos de Puerto Rico), does with pride and dedication.

2020 is here. It's a perfect time for Council 4 members to get ahead with their education.

The AFSCME Free College Benefit makes it possible for you and your family members to earn an associate degree completely online – for FREE.

This union benefit is open to all active, dues-paying members, their spouses, children and grandchildren, as well as retired AFSCME members.

Through our national union's partnership with Eastern Gateway Community College in Ohio,  you can choose from the following degree programs:

Despite high levels of stress on the job, many state and local workers say they highly value serving the public and their communities and feel generally satisfied with their jobs.

This finding, from a national survey commissioned by the National Institute on Retirement Security, will not surprise many AFSCME members, who work in state, county and local governments and never quit on their communities.

Winter brings a special set of challenges to the worklife of AFSCME Local 818 member Michael Thompson, who for the last four years has served as the Superintendent of Field Services for the New Britain Department of Public Works.

A 31-year veteran of city employment, Thompson got more added to his plate on Nov. 5, 2019, when New Britain voters elected him to serve a two-year term on the Common Council. 

Thompson, who is unaffiliated, is excited to bring his union values to New Britain politics.

It's the holiday season, which means it's time for our annual Council 4 Holiday Toy Drive.

We are collecting new, unused and unwrapped toys, and gift cards, through December 13, 2019. The donations will go to our friends at the United Labor Agency, which helps Connecticut's working families in need. (If you’d like to make a monetary contribution, please make your check payable to the United Labor Agency.)

All locals, individual members and employees of Council 4 who wish to participate in this effort may bring donations to Council 4 at 444 East Main St. in New Britain.

Election Day 2019 was a big victory for working families. In states and cities across the country, they made their voices heard, electing pro-worker candidates for state and local government and providing further evidence of growing political momentum for working people.

A bill that has been introduced in the House of Representatives would simplify the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program for current and would-be participants.

The latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast takes an in-depth look at the Department of Correction's Employee Assistance Unit (EAU).

It’s not a secret that drug prices in the United States are rising much faster than inflation. To take but one example: between 2002 and 2013, the price of insulin, a hormone that saves millions of lives every year, more than tripled.

AFSCME members have long known one big advantage of joining a union: better wages.

There’s no avoiding the reality of what’s happening to our environment. Without mitigating measures global climate change will have significant negative economic, environmental and fiscal implications for state and local governments (and the jobs they provide), as well as our communities and residents.

Labor unions are continuing to gain momentum, with the latest proof coming from a new Gallup poll, which shows that 64 percent of Americans approve of unions, a near 50-year high.

More and more people, regardless of political party, view unions as essential to levelling the playing field, providing economic security and unrigging a system that’s for too long favored the wealthy and powerful.

Council 4 is currently seeking to fill the following positions:

Director of Organizing and Field Services
This is a management position within AFSCME Council 4. The successful candidate will be responsible for creating, managing and driving the Organizing program and building an organizing team of staff and members that has the skills and ability to fulfill the mission inherent in the AFSCME Organizing Model.

This year’s winner of the Gerald W. McEntee Scholarship is someone who defends workers' rights, supports her community and is deeply involved in her union. 

With former Vice President Joe Biden confirming his participation on Tuesday, the AFSCME-sponsored presidential candidate forum on Aug. 3 will be the biggest event of its kind in our union’s history.

Recent news reports indicate that the recently passed state budget included $450 million in savings related to state employees. It’s important to reiterate that these reported savings are NOT the result of labor concessions.

Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has signed into law a historic bill granting 20,000 state workers the right to collectively bargain.

The bill, which he signed Wednesday, is the largest expansion of collective bargaining rights for state workers anywhere in the U.S. in 16 years, and it will position those workers to better fight a rigged economy that favors the wealthy.

Last year, after nearly 25 years of working hard at her job at the University of Michigan, Deborah Van Horn was forced out of work by health issues and soon found herself in need of financial assistance.

“I was put on disability, but after a while you only get about 50 percent of your normal wages,” she recounts. “It was important to me to cover general expenses and keep my credit in good standing.”

EMS Week is a time to recognize the sacrifices that EMS professionals make for their communities and to honor these skilled heroes who rush into danger when we need them most. AFSCME EMS professionals play an essential role in the emergency response system, but their stories—and the wounds they suffer on the job—are often overlooked.

Every year on April 28 – the date when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was formed – the AFL-CIO and affiliated unions such as AFSCME observe Workers Memorial Day to honor workers killed or injured on the job.

Council 4 held its remembrance on April 26, in front of our AFSCME Workers Memorial Monument, which lists Council 4 member who have died on the job.

Michael Fitts of the Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health joined Council 4 Executive Director Jody Barr in a call to protect workers and hold employers accountable.

Workers Memorial Day is this Sunday, April 28, when we honor workers killed or injured on the job. On this day in 1971, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was formed.

For almost half a century, OSHA has been charged with helping to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for men and women across this country. But under the Trump administration, OSHA is failing us. As we observe Workers Memorial Day, it’s clear that we can do more – much more – for worker safety.