Unity Wins Funds for New Haven from Yale

New Haven Rising and the unions at Yale have been leading a city-wide effort in New Haven for many years demanding that Yale Respect New Haven and greatly increase its contributions to the city in lieu of taxes. This week that campaign won an historic victory when Yale University announced it is nearly doubling its annual contribution to the City of New Haven.

The increase of $10 million per year from Yale, combined with the increase in tiered PILOT from the state of Connecticut won this year will provide New Haven an additional $59 million in the annual budget.

For decades members of the Unite Here Unions at Yale in coalition with the community have marched, rallied, testified, risked arrest in civil disobedience, put signs in yards, and enjoyed thousands upon thousands of conversations with neighbors.

Barbara Vereen, Organizing Director of Local 34 and Scott Marks, director of New Haven Rising, said “Our unity made this happen, and our unity will guide us to our next victory. Let’s keep the momentum up, and keep on fighting for a better future for all.”

“The elected leaders heard this message and worked in partnership to deliver this victory. The Board of Alders, Mayor, and city delegation to the state legislature have been stalwart allies—elections matter,” they said concluding that. “Organizing works, and this is just the beginning.”

“Yale: Respect New Haven has been our rallying cry as we escalated our fight to have this incredibly wealthy institution recognize the pain in our city and step up to do their fair share,” emphasized Vereen and Marks.

“Today’s announcement does not solve all our city’s problems, but it is a significant step in the right direction and a historic recognition that New Haven and Yale University’s fates are inextricably linked.”

The commitment is to $52 million more over 6 years including $10 million per year for five years and then $2 million in year six. The commitment also includes continued property tax payments including

100% of the previous tax obligation for property removed from the tax rolls for three years, and then slowly reduce that payment by 10% a year over the next 10 years.

Remembering My Friend Jimmy Hooks on Veterans Day

Thinking about my good friend Jimmy Hooks on this Veterans Day.  My fellow
Union Brother was known as just plain Hooks by friends and coworkers
at Yale New Haven Hospital. 

“Hey Hooks what’s going on.” I’m thinking about taking the grill cook job over in the New Haven cafeteria.

“Why, what’s wrong with the Main Kitchen.” I don’t know, I thought I try something different.

Jimmy Hooks was a Vietnam Veteran. When he returned home to New Haven Connecticut his arms were scarred, an injury he suffered serving in Vietnam. He didn’t talk much about what happened, but I do remember us having a few drinks in the bar across the street from the hospital.

“Hooks tell us what happened.”

It had something to do with him shooting those big guns. There was a misfire or malfunction and he suffered severe burns on his arms. He said he was one of The lucky ones. (Wow lucky ones) He spent eight months in a military hospital recovering.

A kind and gentle soul, you really couldn’t help but love this guy. I remember when my son was born. Hooks asked me how much did he weigh, “8 lbs. 5 oz,” okay I’m playing that number. Back in the 70s there was no such thing as a state lottery, so you played your favorite number with your friendly neighborhood bookie, and we had a few of them that worked right there in a hospital.

And guess what, the number came out and he won about $500. A nice piece of change in the 1970s. What did he try to do, give me the money.

“Come on Hooks you played the number it’s your money.” I want you to have it.

We argued for a little while and finally he just stuck 100 bucks in my shirt pocket, buy the baby something. The kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back if you were in need of shirt.

An activist concerned about the low wages and the injustices on the job. He got involved in organizing the union. (New York Local 1199 RWDSU as it was known at the time) A Vietnam Veteran who was against the war, and spoke out at a prayer vigil. I found a Xerox copy of an article written back in 1973 about the vigil, quite interesting if you you can manage to read it. It will give you a good idea of who Hooks was.

Unfortunately this story has a sad ending. Jimmy Hooks was found unconscious on the floor in his apartment and died a week later in the hospital, The same hospital he work for and helped organize.

Like so many Veterans he was suffering from drug addiction and health problems, specifically chronic high blood pressure. As much as family and friends try to caution him, he just didn’t seem to pay attention.

There was some controversy surrounding his death. Did he OD, was it really drug addiction, a stroke or a combination of all. I suspect the latter. Many of us felt sort of a collective guilt. Could we have done more, why couldn’t we see what was going on. It was hard to accept that we lost this good concerned decent Human Being.

On this Veterans Day, I just wanted to get his name out there. If his friends didn’t remember, he would be just another forgotten Working Class Hero added to a long list.

Raymond D Milici

One Month On Strike at Sunrise; Strike Vote at Frontier

 

Rally Marks One Month On Strike at Sunrise Inc.

Marking their first month on strike, SEIU 1199 group home and day program care givers rallied at Sunrise, Inc to demand livable wages, affordable health care and a pension.

Strike lines gathered ed in Hartford with community partners and elected officials on Thursday November 11. Most Sunrise workers are Black, brown and white working women currently making less than $17 an hour, with a family health insurance premium of more than $6,000 monthly and no pension for retirement after providing decades of service.

Connecticut AFL-CIO president Ed Hawthorne and executive vice president Shellye Davis, will address the rally. Davis, also president of the Hartford Federation of Paraprofessionals, AFT Local 2221, is the first Black woman elected as the second-highest ranking officer of the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

The group home and day program caregivers are demanding that like other employers, Sunrise Inc. must come to the table and sign a new union contract that reflects the $184-million in additional funding won by the workers and approved by Gov Ned Lamont.

The caregivers are asking for support on their picket lines and contributions to the strike fund: "L199 Strike & Defense Fund" at 77 Huyshope Ave, Hartford, CT 06106.

CWA Workers Picket Frontier Communications

Last week, Communications Workers of America Local 1298 held an informational picket calling on Frontier Communications to negotiate a new contract that includes job security, fair benefits, and access to the jobs of the future expanding Frontier’s network.. Over 97% of CWA members voted to authorize a strike if Frontier refuses to bargain a fair contract.

As essential workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and Frontier’s bankruptcy, CWA members stepped up to provide critical broadband service to the residents of Connecticut.

Frontier Communications had announced very positive 3rd quarter earnings. “We gained strong momentum in the quarter and delivered record results on two of the most important drivers of our transformation – building and selling fiber,” said Nick Jeffery, President and CEO of Frontier.

In response, Dave Weidlich Jr, president of CWA Local 1298 said, “CWA members must be recognized with a fair agreement. We are the employees that make Frontier successful. We are committed to building and selling fiber to the residents of Connecticut”

Connecticut AFL-CIO Recommits to Fight for Economic and Racial Justice

The Connecticut AFL-CIO enthusiastically unified around a strong, working class agenda, elected a new multi-racial leadership, and prepared for action with a series of workshops and resolutions at its fourteenth biennial convention themed, “Building Our Movement by Fighting for Economic and Racial Justice.”

The 250 delegates from 25 international unions unanimously elected Ed Hawthorne (AFSCME) as president and Shellye Davis (AFT) as executive vice president. Hawthorne served as vice president of his local at the Department of Labor and chairs the Western Connecticut Area Labor Federation. Davis is the first Black woman to be elected as the second officer of the state federation. A paraeducataor, she serves in multiple leadership capacities in her union and chairs the Eastern Connecticut Area Labor Federation.

After noting the historic nature of her election, Davis said, “We must continue to raise the bar. I am happy to be on this journey with Ed. Together we are ready to be your advocates and hear your voice.”

Delegates voted unanimously to recommit to working with the Recovery For All coalition to reduce racial and economic inequality in Connecticut. A key leader in the coalition, Local 1199 SEIU, re-joined the federation bringing with it the militancy of organizing and winning improved wages and benefits for essential workers, largely women of color in this past year as well as the current strike of caregivers at Sunrise group homes across the state.

National AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler pledged support for the Connecticut strikers. Speaking from the strike line at Kellogs, Shuler said, “We were, are and always will be essential. And we deserve to be treated like it. We deserve a fair share of the profits that we helped to create.” She emphasied the movement for passage of the P:RO Act expanding the right to organize.

Clayola Brown, AFL-CIO Civil and Human Rights Director,spoke early in the convention and led a workshop detailing the history of systemic racism in our country. She praised the action-oriented convention resolution, “Recommitment to Racial and Economic Justice,” which passed unanimously and “encourages affiliates to actively engage in eradication of systemic racism.”

The convention celebrated newly organized workers at twenty-seven different workplaces in eleven unions in the last two years.