SEBAC Leadership Meeting
Regular meeting of delegates to the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC), which includes local unions in Council 4 AFSCME representing Connecticut state employees.Participation in SEBAC meetings is limited to delegates designated by local union leadership...
“Time to Raise Up Workers!” Connecticut Unions Declare at Start of Legislative Session
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, February 7, 2018 HARTFORD, Conn. – As the Connecticut General Assembly convenes today for the start of the 2018 session, unions representing thousands of Connecticut workers are standing together to demand the passage of bills that would...
Caught in Limbo: AFSCME Member Struggles with Student Loan Forgiveness
As a public librarian for the Philadelphia Free Library, Sheila O’Steen embodies what we think of when we imagine a public service worker. Every day, she interacts with members of her community. Whether her patrons are young or old, affluent or impoverished, O’Steen sha...
Council 4 Treasurer's Training
Join us for hands-on training with experts from our AFSCME International and Council 4.Subject matter will include an overview and application of the AFSCME Financial Standards Code.All signatories on Local Union accounts are encouraged to attend. We also welcome, and s...
CT AFL-CIO Biennial Political Convention
Members of Council 4 Connecticut-affiliated unions are invited to attend the 12th biennial political convention of the Connecticut AFL-CIO. This year’s convention has been split between three non-consecutive days – one on April 6, the next on June 22, and a final half d...
Council 4 Lobby Day - POSTPONED
THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.Join us for our union's annual Legislative Lobby Day at the State Capitol and Legislative Office Building in Hartford, CT.We will hear from legislators about key issues in the 2020 session and also have an oppor...
Brett Kavanaugh: No R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Women’s and Workers’ Rights
Like others around the world, I mourned the death last week of Aretha Franklin. The Queen of Soul set a new standard for enduring classic songs with both artistic and political impact, like her mega-hit “Respect,” which became an anthem for both the civil rights and wom...
2020 Minimum Wage Hikes to Benefit 7 Million Working People
The new year brings good news for millions of working Americans. Nearly 7 million of them are in line to get pay raises this year thanks to state and local minimum-wage hikes.
Injured on the Job, Corrections Officer Links Safety with Collective Bargaining Rights
The day after he was released from a hospital, a bruised and swollen Kelvin Chung told a state Senate committee that state employees like him need collective bargaining rights to advocate for safety on the job.
“I want you to see my face. We need a voice on the job, so...
Believe It or Not, Congress Seeks More Tax Cuts for the Rich
At a time when our country needs real investments in infrastructure, education and public services, congressional leaders are doubling down on tax cuts for the rich.
Cool Under Pressure
The work Joe Martinez does for the Los Angeles County Fire Department is emblematic of countless AFSCME members: he’s never in the spotlight and he’s always under pressure while lives are on the line.
Across the Nation, Workers Are Striking Like It’s 1986
Last year, nearly half a million workers went on strike across the nation, the largest number since 1986, when the country’s union membership rate was considerably higher (17.5%) than it was in 2018 (10.5%).
Workers Memorial Day: "Pray for the Dead, Fight Like Hell for the Living"
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 Apr...
CT AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast
The Connecticut AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast is an opportunity to honor the contributions of labor to society and reflect on the struggles and rich traditions of the CT labor movement.Please join us on Friday, August 30th at 8:00 AM as workers from our diverse federation...
Council 4 Legislative Lobby Day
Hold the date for Council 4's annual Legislative Lobby Day at the State Capitol in Hartford, CT.We will hear from state legislators about the latest developments and we will lobby lawmakers about key bills affecting our jobs, our rights and our livelihoods.Registration...
CT AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast
The Connecticut AFL-CIO Labor Day Breakfast is an opportunity to honor the contributions of labor to society and reflect on the struggles and rich traditions of the CT labor movement.Please join us on Friday, August 31st at 8:00 AM as workers from our diverse federation...
Court Case Threatens Health Care for Millions
Today, the latest attempt by the Trump administration to repeal the Affordable Care Act will unfold at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit in New Orleans, where oral arguments in Texas v. Azar will be heard. The case threatens the future of the ACA, which prov...
Council 4 Delegates Convention Affirms Fight for Our Freedom
Against a backdrop of legislative and judicial attacks aimed at destroying the rights and freedoms of unionized workers – including the forthcoming Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 – more than 200 members of affiliated local unions and chapters helpe...
Public Charge Rule Would Turn American Dream into Nightmare for Millions
This summer, I joined thousands of union members at a rally in Philadelphia to speak out against the Trump administration’s family separation policy. I was there to represent our union’s vision and values. We reject an immigration policy based on fear and cruelty. We em...
Public Service Loan Forgiveness: A Broken Promise
Megha Desai is a public defender in Multnomah County, Oregon. In a given week, she might work upwards of 60 hours. Right now, she has about 145 open cases.“It's like a conveyor belt. Every day you work on your assigned cases, new ones roll in,” said Desai, a member of L...
Council 4 Conference Charts Path Forward In Post-Janus World
Using the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME as a jumping-off point, Council 4’s biennial conference served as a call to action to maintain strength and solidarity in the face of stern challenges ahead.More than 200 members participated in the conference, which...
Mobilizing for the 2019 Municipal Elections
Council 4 is gearing up for the 2019 municipal elections on Nov. 5, 2019.This is our opportunity to elect pro-union candidates to local offices, from Town Councils and Boards of Selectmen to Boards of Education and Boards of Finance.Through our member-led Council 4 PEOP...
The Numbers Are In: AFSCME Members Are Sticking with Their Union
Our union gained more than 9,000 dues-paying members and nearly 19,000 dues-paying retirees in the last year, suggesting that billionaires and corporations are failing in their effort to “defund and defang” public service unions.