Historic Contract Victory for Local 33 Breaks New Ground

A near unanimous vote of 1,705 to 10 ratified the first ever union contract of graduate workers Unite Here Local 33 and Yale University after many attempts spanning more than three decades. Voting took place over two days at the “union church” where Unite Here has its home at the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church.

A week earlier in the same room, the People's World Amistad Awards cheered an announcement by Paul Seltzer, a leader in Local 33 and a graduate teacher at Yale, that a tentative agreement had been reached.

“ I’m very excited to announce that after over thirty years, yesterday we reached a tentative agreement for our first contract with the university.,” said Seltzer. “That contract will include amazing pay raises, great health care, and new, important workplace protections. These things will be transformational for so many graduate workers at Yale, myself included.”

Seltzer said the tentative agreement would be discussed with union members leading up the ratification vote on the tentative agreement. In January the graduate workers had voted to join Local 33 by a 91% majority, leading to the collective bargaining process for their first contract covering 3,200 graduate teachers and researchers.

A contract survey identified priorities for negotiations including “higher pay, better health care, a comprehensive grievance procedure, protections for international workers, and improved benefits for families and dependents,” all of which were won, with over $2 million in assistance funds for Graduate Workers over the course of the five year contract:

 

“ I’m really excited that not only has our union’s fight been defining for building power for academic workers everywhere, but also that our union, which is primarily made up of young workers, is at the forefront of the resurgence of the labor movement in the U.S.” said Seltzer, adding to the packed house present for the Amistad Awards, “I’m very glad we can be here to celebrate so many of the other folks also making that happen.”

PhD graduate workers will receive at least 15 percent pay increases and dental insurance. International students will receive increased financial support related to immigration and visa issues, among other benefits.

Also included is “ strong language on accessibility and accommodations, health and safety, job security, and so much more.” as well as language establishing “ a strong and functional union that can effectively advocate for Graduate Workers.

People's World Amistad Awards: “Time to Organize!”

As the year comes to an end, the exciting 2023 People’s World Amistad Awards brought together many diverse people from all walks of life, community, elected officials, union members, immigrants and youth, at New Haven’s United Methodist Church to celebrate achievements highlighting a year of hard working-class struggles for dignity, unity and solidarity here in Connecticut and across the country.

This year’s ceremony recognized three working class champions and allies who put the people first. State Senator Gary Winfield, Stacie Harris-Byrdsong, president of AFSCME Council 4, and Luis Luna, coalition manager of Husky 4 Immigrants.

The event also stood “In Solidarity” with the Connecticut for All coalition and the Blake St. Tenants Union who have been on the ground shifting power back to the people’s needs.

Unite Here Local 34 leaders Ken Suzuki and Barbara Vereen welcomed everyone to their meeting home and announced with Local 33 organizer Paul Seltzer to a standing ovation that Yale’s graduate worker union just reached a tentative agreement with the University after 33 years of organizing and nine months of contract negotiations.

The Amistad Awards are presented annually by the People’s World on the occasion of the anniversary of the Communist Party USA, in the spirit of building unity against racism, red-baiting and all forms of bigotry, and standing for workers rights, equality, peace, democracy, and a better world.

The program included a video CPUSA at 104: Labor Tributes featuring solidarity testimonies from nine labor leaders in Connecticut reflecting strikes and struggles over the decades.

The renowned jazz drummer and reggae percussionist Pheeroan akLaff and his band kept the energy upbeat during the event including lyrics for a ceasefire. Son Chaneques Rebeldes also performed.

In their remarks, the Awardees emphasized the need to organize together to protect democratic rights and win economic and racial equity. “We can't wait,” said Senator Winfield, following the call by Stacie Harris-Byrdsong that “we must recognize the power we have in this shared community,” and Luis Luna's warning about the plans of the right-wing 2025 project to destroy all rights.

After the awardees impactful speeches, Joelle Fishman and Jahmal Henderson, organizers with the Connecticut Communist Party gave a call to action. The evening’s festivities ended with a call for attendees to sign postcard for a ceasefire to Congress.

Confeence Envisions Equal, Quality Public Schools in Connecticut

Big plans were envisioned for a future of equal, quality public education in Connecticut at a one day state-wide conference hosted by the New Haven Federation of Teachers.

“We are here,” said president Leslie Blatteau, “to plan to transform into an education system we can all be proud of.”

Kris Solozarno, a student with Educators Rising at Metro High School agreed it's time to think big, saying “We can change the world and make it better for students and kids.”

Keynote speaker, Rep Jamal Bowman from New York, got a rousing welcome. A teacher and principal before election to Congress, he said he ran for office when he realized it is policy that has to be changed.

“You all, like me, see the unlimited potential and magic of our children every day. I am driven by the urgent necessity to unlock that brilliance.” said Bowman.

“Our world is crippled by racism, war, sexism and inequality,” he said, emphasizing the urgency to “free us from the oppressive education system in place,” and warning that otherwise “we will have a fascist nation.”

Blatteau recalled meeting Bowman at a conference for racial justice in North Carolina which addressed the danger posed by right-wing extremist groups like Moms for Liberty who are running candidates for school boards across the country with the goal to dismantle public education.

“Our vision,” said Blatteau, “is fully funded, fully staffed public schools whose goal is joyful and liberator y learning.”

Panel discussions and small groups spent the afternoon developing a collective vision that prioritizes the needs and potential of all students..

Giving a welcome to the day, Stacie Harris-Byrdsong, president of AFSCME Council 4 and AFSCME Local 3194 and an educator for 30 years said, “I am a champion for a just education system in Connecticut., and radically transforming equity in public schools.”

Recognizing it will take everyone in the fight together she said, “What all you do to embrace the call for equity and dignity in schools in Connecticut can make it a reality.”

On Saturday December 9 Stacie Harris-Byrdsong will receive the People's World Amistad Award along with State Senator Gary Winfield and Husky 4 Immigrants coalition manager Luis Luna. The event will be held at 4 pm at the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church on Elm and College Streets in New Haven.

Union Members, Students Protest Cuts to Higher Education

A fight for the right to higher public education is heating up as funding cuts threaten academics and student services at the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system (CSCU).

As the Board of Regents held a special meeting to discuss “budget mitigation,” students and faculty gathered outside to oppose proposed cuts and tuition hikes and gear up to demand emergency funding during the 2024 legislative session.

“Larger class sizes, fewer faculty, canceled sections, and higher tuition. Each of these cuts on its own will make it harder for students to get to college and stay there until they graduate–students who work, who have family responsibilities, who are food and housing insecure, students from under-resourced high schools,” warned John O’Connor, secretary of CSU-AAUP which represents over 3,000 faculty at the four Connecticut State Universities.

During the state budget fight earlier this year, the Recovery for All coalition of 61 labor, community and faith organizations, now named Connecticut for All, organized countless rallies and public testimonies to support public higher education funding.

Education supporters showed that the money is there if the tax system were to require the richest few to pay the same rates as the majority in our state. But budget cuts followed the imposition of guardrails to enforce spending cap guidelines.

“These caps and guardrails never seem to apply to the wealthy few, but instead fall on those who are striving for better,” said Michael Hinton, an instructor of English and theater at Tunxis Community College.

“The state’s leadership claims to be champions of equity, but they refuse to put the necessary money behind it to make equity happen,” he concluded.

Xander Tyler, a senior at CCSU, implored the Governor to “look beyond the next election cycle, beyond the talking points about austerity, to the future of Connecticut.”

State Senator Gary Winfield, also a staff member of CSU-AAUP will receive the People's World Amistad Award along with Stacie Harris-Byrdsong president of AFSCME Council 4, and Luis Luna campaign manager of Husky 4 Immigrants.

Connecticut for All will receive “In Solidarity” recognition at the event on Saturday December 9 at 4 pm at the First and United Summerfield Methodist Church at the corner of College and Elm street in New Haven. Click here to reserve tickets: People’s World Amistad Awards 2023

Housing is a Human Right

 

“. . .but it is private property. The owners can do what they want.” Environmentalists hear such statements repeatedly.

On Friday, November 17, 2023, some of the homeless who live outdoors in Waterbury heard it with devastating consequences.

 

At least a dozen men and women were uprooted from their tent city in Waterbury near the Naugatuck River. The Saint Vincent DePaul Waterbury Shelter was filled to capacity. One woman came from Meriden looking for shelter but the 108 beds there were already taken. She had no choice but to live outdoors in the tent encampment.

 

Now, she had nowhere to go. 

 

As trees were being cut down with chainsaws around her, anger spilled out. “This sucks. The city needs to buy the land and put us all back.” (Wtby Rep-Am)

 

As is often the case, one of the men was a veteran. He indicated that they had no notice of the eviction.

 

The company, Durable Radiator, owns the land along Thomaston Ave.

 

Complicating the issues is that many Waterbury apartments have been scooped up by absentee landlords. Many are from out-of-state. Rents have gone through the roof.

 

With COVID money drying up, more people are on the streets.

 

With an irony not lost on the homeless, a tour of the encampment was taking place as they were being evicted. United Way of Greater Waterbury scheduled the visit unaware of the disruption.

 

One of those on the tour was State Representative Lezlye W. Zupkus (R) of Prospect. She said it was difficult to watch.

 

She added, “I don’t see the company as the bad guy.” Zupkus then said in a statement right out of a Charles Dickens novel, “. . .I understand businesses need to grow.” (WTBY Rep-Am)

 

To paraphrase Martin Luther King, as the bombs drop in Gaza, they land in the Naugatuck Valley. Money from the almost one trillion dollar military budget needs to be moved for housing, climate change mitigation and other human needs.

 

Also fitting is this year’s Amistad theme. “It’s an Enough is Enough Moment – Time to Organize.”

 

For the booklet, “Housing is a Human Right”. Email ct-cpusa@pobox.com

CT Starbucks Workers Join Nationwide Strike on Red Cup Day

Starbucks workers in West Hartford and Danbury went on strike on November 16, joining the coast-to-coast “Red Cup Rebellion,” demanding the coffee giant stop illegally refusing to bargain with baristas over staffing, scheduling and other issues.

The strike comes on Red Cup Day, when the company hands out tens of thousands of free reusable cups, one of its busiest days of the year.  With no added staff, orders pile up and are abandoned, lines are out the door, leaving Starbucks workers to handle angry customers.

Workers have filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for Starbucks’ refusal to bargain around staffing on promotion days.

Over 9,000 Starbucks workers have voted to unionize at 360 stores since 2021. The corporation has refused to bargain any union contracts.

At the West Hartford store, shift supervisor Travis Glenney-Tegtmeier reported, “We are being told that business is growing by utilizing promotional events to draw in more and more customers. Simultaneously, we hear that Starbucks can’t afford to put more workers on the schedule to adequately staff those events.”

“We are being lied to and taken for fools, and we’re sick of it.” he said. Workers demanded Starbucks turn off mobile ordering on promotion days. 

The workers were joined by allies from the Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans and other organizations in a solidarity action the day before.

In Danbury, the Western Connecticut Area Labor Federation issued a call to join Starbucks Workers United at the Newtown Road store for the strike, “fighting against Starbucks unfair labor practices, and in the fight to force them to bargain in good faith. No justice, no coffee!”

In New Haven, students held a solidarity leaflet distribution at the Starbucks on Chapel Street to alert customers of the union busting practices of the coffee giant.

Last year Starbucks barista Salwa Mogaddedi was honored with the People's World Amistad Award.

This year's Amistad awardees include State Senator Gary Winfield, AFSCME Council 4 president Stacie Harris-Byrdsong and Luis Luna, Husky 4 Immigrants campaign manager. Themed “It's an Enough is Enough Moment – Time to Organize” the event will be held Saturday, December 9 at 4 pm at the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church at 425 College St in New Haven. Tickets are available here: Tickets and Information or email ct-pww@pobox.com

HUSKY 4 Immigrants Gears Up to Fight for Equitable Access to Healthcare for All

It is past time for Connecticut to cover all children with HUSKY healthcare regardless of immigration status says the Husky 4 Immigrants coalition. And they are organizing to win just that as part of the larger fight for equitable health care access in Connecticut, according to coalition manager Luis Luna.

Their first victory was won in 2021 when the state legislature voted to open HUSKY to children regardless of immigration status aged 8 and younger. The following year the age was raised to 12.

In 2023 the hope was to expand coverage to age 25, similar to the Affordable Care Act. Scores of testimonies were presented to show the need and community benefit.

Instead the legislature just raised the age to 15. As of July 1, 2024 children 15 and younger can enroll and keep coverage through age 19.

While this incremental progress was greeted, Husky 4 Immigrants underscored that it is unacceptable to leave any young people without health care.

“Increasing the age of HUSKY eligibility for immigrants from 12 to only 15 years old disregards the needs of our immigrant young people,” said Luna.

Implementation of HUSKY expansion went into effect January 2023. As of the end of August over 10.000 children have registered, showing that the need is urgent.

Husky 4 Immigrants has been busy since summer with assessments, outreach, and leadership development, including a first ever state-wide coalition retreat as part of developing a long term strategic plan to win HUSKY for everyone.

“Our goal is to be prepared for the 2024 Legislative Session,” said Luna

On December 9, Luna will be honored with the People's World Amistad Award for his “leadership and dedication for the rights of immigrants,” and “inspiring ordinary people to take collective action on their own behalf.”

Other 2023 awardees are State Sen. Gary Winfield and Stacie Harris Byrdsong, president of AFSCME Council 4.

Themed “It's an Enough is Enough Moment – Time to Organize” the event will be held Saturday, December 9 at 4 pm at the First and Summerfield United Methodist Church at 425 College St in New Haven. Spanish language interpretation will be available. Tickets and greeting book information are available here: Tickets and Information or email ct-pww@pobox.com

Need for Winter Energy Assistance Outpaces Fundin

As temperatures drop the need for winter protections is confronting more and more families. Operation Fuel estimates that about 400,000 families in Connecticut can't afford their energy bills.

Several weeks ago Operation Fuel gave the shocking announcement that it had run out of funds and was forced to end the application period for summer/fall one month early. They will begin accepting applications for winter/spring on January 2, 2024.

The crisis is attributed to rising prices, rising need, and ending of federal pandemic funds. In response have come public calls for use of emergency state funds and demands for more federal funding.

Despite rising need, with applications up 20%,, Congress did not increase funding for the Low Income Heating and Energy Assistance Program,m while at the same time increasing military spending to $1 trillion.

Home heating help is , however, available through the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program (CEAP)., run by the Department of Social Services.

“The Energy Assistance Program is open and applications are being taken. And we want to make sure that everyone has their heating needs, and stays warm and safe this winter.” says the agency.

“CEAP is a vital program that helps ensure Connecticut residents don’t have to choose between heating their homes and other essential expenses.”.

CEAP is currently accepting applications for the 2023-24 winter period. Connecticut residents can apply for assistance through May 31. Information and applications are available at each town's Community Action Agency. Applications can also be done online at ct.gov/heatinghelp.

Rising electricity prices causing more families to seek help, were accompanied by record company profits announced by Avangrid and Eversource earlier this year. Avangrid, parent company of United Illuminating increased profits 25% while Eversource reported record profits in excess of $1.4 billion for 2022.

The number of people applying for help has risen every year for the last three years. Assistance was approved for 107,000 last year and it is expected that number will be higher this year.

“The need in our state has grown to a tremendous degree,” said Gannon Long, chief programs officer for Operation Fuel. “In the past couple of years, we’ve seen a huge increase in demand across the board.”

Last year, Operation Fuel approved around 3,900 applications during its Summer/Fall application period, practically double the number of families from the previous year which was 2,000.

Farmington Valley Rallies Against Hate

Residents in the Farmington Valley towns of Avon and Granby are organizing to reject a recent rise in hate groups there.

When the extremist right-wing group Moms for Liberty announced a symposium on parental rights in Avon, the community quickly came together against “hatred, book banning and bigotry.”

Moms for Liberty is crusading nationally for book bans and has targeted Avon's public schools. Their event flier said speaker James Lindsay, is "a leading expert on Critical Race Theory, and mathematician who is anti-communist and pro-America."

Gathering outside the Avon Senior Center on October 21, local residents, elected officials, and many organizations including the NAACP and the Coalition on Diversity and Equity (CODE) stood together to say no to hate.

One participant age 92 said this was the second time he demonstrated against book banning, recalling his experience in fascist Germany in 1943.

State Rep Eleni Kavros DeGraw encouraged turnout for the peaceful protest saying, “Moms for Liberty seeks to undermine public schools, teachers and communities. Their brand of hate has no place here.”

The Avon Democrats said they “strongly denounce any organization that serves to demonize, dehumanize, and erase entire groups of people. We denounce efforts to remove books from libraries, topics from curricula, events and individuals from history lessons, and diverse voices from conversations.”

In nearby Granby, a rally to “Stop the Hate” has been called for Saturday October 28 at noon on the Town Green in response to white supremacist literature dropped in driveways around town last week.

Granby Racial Reconciliation is giving out “Hate has no place in our town” yard signs saying their organization “condemns the hate filled ideology of the Nationalist Social Club, and calls all people, and especially their recruitment target: white men, to stand against their message and stand for the acceptance of all people.”

Granby Racial Reconciliation formed in 2020 after the murder of George Floyd. They said, “the Nationalist Social Club promotes itself as "a pro-white, street-oriented fraternity dedicated to raising authentic resistance to the enemies of our people in the New England area,” and that

the ideology of this group is based on a conspiracy theory called “The Great Replacement,” and at its core is white supremacist, xenophobic and anti-immigrant.”

Yale Community Calls on Administration to Reject Violence against Palestine

Voices of opposition and solidarity are being raised at Yale University in response to incidents of hate targeting Palestinian and Arab students and faculty.

A statement signed in days by over 400 members of the Yale community decries “the University’s one-sided response to the events unfolding in Palestine and on campus, predicated upon the dehumanization of Palestinians.”

Amidst thousands of lives lost due to the Israeli occupation of Palestine, large corporate donors have been pressuring universities to "Stand with Israel,” and condemn student and community groups who stand for peace.

At Yale the administration has imposed a cruel double standard, emboldening extreme right-wing rhetoric and leaving activists, Arab and Muslim students and their allies feeling alienated and threatened.

A statement from university president Peter Salovey acknowledges Israeli deaths without qualification and condemns Hamas attacks, but only briefly mentions “non-militant Palestinians.”

The administration has failed to address the endless bombings of Gazans and genocidal statements from Israeli government officials, referring to Palestinians as “human animals” and “children of darkness.”

When a Yale student displayed a hateful, violent message, “Death to Palestine,” outside their dorm room door, the administration dismissed it as simply a “political sentiment and not a personal threat.”

In addition to student harassment, an online petition calling on a Yale faculty member to resign has been promoted by national right-wing sensationalist publications, including The Daily Mail and The National Review, with minimal push back from the Yale administration.

In response, a wide coalition in the Yale community is standing up and calling on the administration to abandon its policy of “war profiteering.”

A statement signed by hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students, alumni, staff, and other affiliates, demands Yale administration take a stand against the genocide of the Palestinian people, to call on Sen. Blumenthal and Rep. DeLauro to support an immediate ceasefire, to divest from U.S. and Israel-based arms manufacturers complicit in the destruction of Gaza, and to denounce anti-Palestinian and Islamophobic hate speech on campus.

The full statement, endorsed by student Palestinian-rights organization Yalies4Palestine can be viewed here.

At Harvard, billionaire hedge fund manager Kenneth Griffin pushed that university to adopt both a statement firmly in support of the Israeli regime and an additional denunciation of its own student groups, leaving students to face intimidation, harassment, and doxxing.

Amistad Awards: “it's An Enough is Enough Moment! Time to Organize!

In the midst of a national strike wave with thousands of workers standing up against income inequality, and marches for housing rights, peace and climate justice, the People's World Amistad Awards will hold its annual awards rally on the theme, “It's An Enough Is Enough Moment! Time to Organize!”

The Awards will be held Saturday, December 9, 2023 at 4:00 pm at the historic First and Summerfield United Methodist Church, 425 College St in New Haven, with keepsake greeting book. The church is the home to union organizing including Unite Here Local 34, celebrating it's 40^th anniversary

In a letter the committee announced, “People's World is honored to present the Amistad Award to three wonderful allies and working class champions. Together they represent the kind of unity, solidarity and vision needed to build the movement that can transform our country to put people, peace and planet before profits.”

The three awardees are:

Sen. Gary Winfield, a fearless defender of racial, economic and social justice, always in the forefront with groundbreaking legislation toward equity and a better life for his constituents and all working class people in our state and nation.

Stacie Harris-Byrdsong, groundbreaking president of AFSCME Council 4 whose courage and leadership is so inspiring as a passionate representative of educators and the needs of children, for equity and economic justice.

Luis Luna, Husky 4 Immigrants coalition manager whose leadership and dedication for the rights of immigrants, and as an organizer and communicator in many venues, inspires ordinary people to take collective action on their own behalf.

Performance by an Afro Reggae band led by Aklaff Pheeroan, world renowned artist and outstanding contributor to African American musical innovations and creative composition, will highlight the program, which is a family event.

The event will stand “IN SOLIDARITY” with the Recovery for All coalition and the Blake Street Tenants Union taking on corporate greed and shifting power to people's needs and dreams.

This annual event is hosted on the occasion of the 104^th anniversary of the Communist Party USA, in the spirit of building unity against racism, red baiting and all forms of bigotry and standing for workers' rights, equality, peace, democracy, and a better world.

For greeting book and ticket information write to ct-pww@pobox.com or visit the event page at  https://actionnetwork.org/ticketed_events/2023-peoples-world-amistad-awards?clear_id=true The ad deadline is November 17, 2023.

Young Activists Organize Blanket Drive for the Homeless and call for Housing as a Human Right

As temperatures cool, the risk of exposure-related injury and illness increases drastically for homeless individuals. In Connecticut, the tenth least affordable state, the homeless population has increased for the second year straight following the expiration of the pandemic-era eviction moratorium in 2021. In response, young activists are organizing a Blanket Drive for New Haven’s homeless population to be held on October 13th, beginning at 12:00PM on the New Haven Green.  The drive aims to collect essentials such as warm clothes, toiletries, non-perishable foods, and water in addition to safety items like hand warmers, blankets and first aid in anticipation of the winter months.

“I used to be homeless for 3 years: the most insane 3 years of my life,” writes Kathryn Jupiter, the lead organizer of the event and member of the Young Communist League of New Haven, who became housed in 2017.  “I would never forget what I went through and this is why me and a couple of friends are trying to raise money, so we can help the homeless and make sure they have what they need to get housed. Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible!’”  Along with supplies, the drive also aims to distribute a “Know Your Rights” flyer, detailing resources related to eviction prevention, tenants unions, and Connecticut’s Fair Rent Commissions.

As of October 1st 2023, homelessness has officially been declared a public health crisis in Connecticut, where four of the largest cities have some of the highest eviction rates in the country. As corporate landlords seek drastic rent increases for profit, “Housing is a human right” remains a rallying cry for working people throughout the state.

A ten-point emergency “Housing is a Human Right” program issued by the CT Communist Party includes: declare a state of emergency to protect against evictions and foreclosures; a 2.5% annual rent cap; enforcement of anti-discrimination laws on large landlords and lenders; fair rent commissions with standing for tenant unions; increase real estate conveyance taxes and fees on large investors; tax the rich and invest in housing; reallocate funds from the excessive military budget to our communities and green jobs. 

Individuals wishing to donate to the drive should contact Kathryn Jupe at 845-793-4239

Solidarity Strong for Striking Auto Workers in New England

The big three auto companies may not have production plants in Connecticut, but the labor movement considers the UAW strike, with its slogan “Record Profits should equal Record Contracts,” of national consequence and is mobilizing solidarity.

The UAW's Stand Up Strike expanded to 39 locations across the country last week including in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Members of UAW Local 422 are walking the line 24 hours a day outside the Stellantis parts distribution warehouse at 550 Forbes Blvd.

Before the strike, they shipped parts all over New England and to upstate New York. Now, just three managers are in the warehouse.

Tyrone Mills, union chair of Ford Local 376 in Connecticut, came to walk the line in support of his UAW brothers and sisters. “A win for the union is win for everyone. When you have a pension, you have a career,” he said.

Patrick Lozeau, financial secretary for the local, has worked at Stellantis for 23 years. When a team from Connecticut People's World asked what compelled him to go out on strike he said, “Job security, a job with a future for the other workers. The tiers system has to go. The starting rate for workers is only $15.78 an hour. That's not much more than the minimum wage in Massachusetts.”

“Meanwhile,” he said, “the CEO of Stellantis, (Carlos Tavares), gets about $25 million dollars. The previous CEO - Michael Manley - was given a $38 million check when he left the position.”

“CEOS are not supposed to make 300 times what the workers make,” said Lozeau, emphasizing that the money is three to meet the workers' contract demands. .

The 45 workers at the Stellantis parts warehouse have been joined by members of the Teachers Association, SEIU, and many other unions and elected officials. UAW members at Legal Aid came all the way from New York City.

The Connecticut AFL CIO passed a strong solidarity resolution asking all locals to go to picket lines, contribute to the Region 9A Strike Fund, and stand with the striking workers. as have the retirees of CSEA (Connecticut State Employees), and the CT Alliance for Retired Americans.

“The historic struggle that the United Auto Workers are currently facing may impact the trajectory of the entire working class for years to come,” said the CSEA resolution.

In convention, state union members “Organize to Meet the Moment”

Union members from across the state recommitted to organizing and solidarity at the 15^th Biennial Convention of the Connecticut AFL-CIO themed “Organizing to Meet the Moment.”

Culminating the first year of leadership by president Ed Hawthorne, and secretary treasurer Shellye Davis, the packed agenda included plenary speakers, panels and workshops that gave the delegates an opportunity to share recent worker victories and organizing drives under way, and the strikes by SAG-AFTRA and UAW challenging corporate greed.

Major League Baseball Players Association executive director Tony Clark got a rousing reception as did SAG-AFTRA New York Local executive director Rebecca Damon,

The convention, held at Foxwood Casino's celebrity ballroom, opened with welcomes from the casino's unionized workers

A workshop on Race and the Economy led by Clayola Brown, AFL-CIO advisor on Strategic Partnerships and Racial Justice, featured a board game with fact cards exposing systemic racism and discussion on how to talk with co-workers.

Resolutions opposed privatization of public schools and paraeducators, called for banning child labor, repealing WEP and GPO penalties so all public service workers receive their full Social Security benefits, and stood in solidarity with the UAW strike against the big three auto companies.

Resolution One “To Continue the Work of the Racial and Economic Justice Committee,” asserted that “understanding race and racism is central to unifying the labor movement and to the renaissance of organized labor,” calling for a day-long discussion “Racism and Uniting Workers” on October 21 with Bill Fletcher, senior scholar at Institute for Policy Studies.

Speaking at the convention, Fletcher emphasized labor history, agreeing with ball player Tony Clark that “social movements are a combination of timing and organizing.”

Fletcher said the labor movement has “exploded and advanced when there is strategic organizing and strong leadership,” recognizing the political left that led union organizing and was purged during the cold war, but continued to organize.

“Today we are living in the legacy of cold war scare tactics,” he said. “We are watching the collapse of neoliberal economics and growth of the fascist movement. We cannot sit around waiting and not embracing union members on the left,” he concluded, calling for unity.

The convention closed with presentation of awards to 20 unions that won organizing drives including locals from AFT Connecticut, AFSCME, .Amalgamated Transit Union, IBEW, IUOE, SEIU 1199, UAW, UFCW, UNITE HERE and CWA.

Connecticut Groups Join March to “End Fossil Fuels”

Connecticut environmental, peace, labor and senior groups will be well represented at the “End Fossil Fuels” Climate March in New York City on Sunday, September 17 in New York City three days before the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit to provide a people's voice to the deliberations.

Union members are preparing to join the labor contingent. The Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs will march with other environmental justice advocates to demand that President Biden “take bold climate action, reject new fossil fuel projects, phase out fossil fuel production, and declare a climate emergency.”

Seniors are participating through the newly formed environmental organization Third Act CT.

Environmental groups organized with the Connecticut Climate Crisis Mobilization (C3M) to “stop fossil fuel expansion.” Their call says “marchers will leverage as much national and international pressure as possible to call on Biden to change course. This is a critical moment.” C3M is leading a campaign for a Connecticut Environmental Rights Amendment to the state constitution to establish a right to “clean and healthy air, water, and soil and a stable climate and healthy ecosystems.” with equitable protection. The bill was brought to the state legislation this year and will be brought again in the next session.

The Greater New Haven Peace Council and other peace activists are marching with the Anti-Militarism hub headed up by Code Pink. "We know that for real 'climate ambition', we must address the largest institutional polluter in the world, the US Pentagon," said organizer Olivia DiNucci. "Fossil fuels have been and continue to be a primary reason for many of the wars over the last century. A just transition to clean renewable energy and environmental, social and economic justice for low-income and people and communities of color are essential to world peace."

Communist Party clubs in Connecticut will march in the national Communist Party contingent as part of the Anti-Militarism hub. Joe Sims, co-chair of the Communist Party USA called upon  “progressive and democratic folks to join the fight to stop the twin existential crises of global scorching and  threat of nuclear war. Ending use of fossil fuels is critical to both. We're joining the anti-militarism contingent to demonstrate our support for achieving these goals and to demand Biden meet the march's demand to end fossil fuels and stop pursuing Cold War 2.0 policies.”

Unity Boosts Tenant Power against Ocean Management

When mega landlord Ocean Management tacked 16 eviction notices on the doors of 16 tenant union members at 311 Blake Street, the courageous tenants decided to organize even harder. They are taking their case to court, to the City of New Haven Fair Rent Commission. and to the streets.

Several hundred turned out in solidarity for a spirited tenant power rally at New Haven City Hall and then marched to Ocean Management to state their demands: rescind the evictions, commit to never take such action again, and negotiate with the tenants union.

Before the march even started, a new tenant union formed at another Ocean Management property on Quinnipiac Avenue.

The tenants at 311 Blake Street told their stories. They want security, they want repairs taken care of, and they want the landlord to bargain collectively with them, just like workers bargain collectively with their boss through their union on the job.

Sarah Giovanniello got rousing cheers and applause when she said “Even when your landlord tries to threaten you, to make your children sick, or make you feel powerless, you have the power when you organize with your neighbors.”

The struggle of tenants at 311 Blake Street has become a test case. Part of the Connecticut Tenants Union (CTTU), which is an affiliate of SEIU Connecticut State Council, their goal is to organize and “transform housing in Connecticut.”

“It's a new day,” said Kooper Caraway, SEIU Connecticut State Council executive director, leading a chant, “Power to the People.” and vowing that labor and tenant unions will take on the crisis of “rents that are way too high and wages that are way too low” in a united movement.

The New Haven Board of Alders passed a law giving tenants the legal right to organize a union if there are ten units owned by the same landlord, and participate with Fair Rent Commission investigations of complaints.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, State Senators. Martin Looney, and Gary Winfield, and Board of Alders president Tyisha Walker-Myers all pledged support to the vibrant, multi-racial youthful crowd.

“Housing is a human right. We have your back,” said Walker-Myers. Many signs and chants reflected that vision of housing as a right and not a commodity.

Contact CTTU at ‪(860) 756-0257‬ or CTtenantsunion@gmail.com

Students Call on the Governor to Fund Community Colleges

As students return to the state's 12 community colleges this week they are being greeted by teams of volunteers with petitions to Gov Lamont demanding that funding be restored. “Paying more but receiving less” the fliers declare.

Community colleges are the bedrock of higher education for high school graduates who cannot afford a four year school. The two year community college degree is a pathway to skilled trades and other careers for thousands of young people in Connecticut including many students of color.

The state-wide Recovery for All coalition organized rallies and testimonies to the Appropriations and Higher Education Committee public hearings this spring to raise the alarm that the community colleges are in danger with a shortfall in funding.

Funding community colleges is a matter of achieving equity was a theme of many testimonies. The need to make community college free while fully funding them by taxing the rich were ideas also presented to the legislature during public hearings..

But cuts went into affect in the new budget. The legislature and governor reduced funding in the budget based on lower enrollment during the pandemic. But that is coming back while special funding during the pandemic ends.

A press conference in mid August at the community college in Hartford itemized what is being cut there as a result of the state budget including cafeteria services, the director of career services position, reduced tutoring and English-as-a-Second Language, or ESL, support.

Other locations face reduced library hours and access, reduced specialized academic programs, and reduced food pantry availability.

The CT News Junkie reports that Connecticut State including all higher education has 68 fewer full-time and 1,754 fewer faculty positions compared to 2019.

“It's a crisis,” declared Seth Freeman, president of the Congress of Connecticut Community Colleges and a professor at Capital Community College..

“Connecticut State Community College is opening this fall, and it’s already failing our students and failing our state,” Freeman said, calling upon the Board of Regents to rely on a combined $125 million in reserves – $99 million for the community colleges and another $25 million for the system overall – to restore the funding. “

The flyers greeting students warn that next year's budget deficit is three times as large and the time to act in now. They feature a QR code to a page with a letter to email to Gov. Lamont, their state legislators and Chancellor Cheng.

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Rate Hike Protesters Say “Insurance Greed Kills”

“Insurance Greed Kills” read the banner carried by protesters outside the Connecticut Insurance Department public hearing on health insurance company requests for rate increases up to 23%.

In 2021 Cigna CEO David Cordani made $91 million. “Do Connecticut consumers need to make him even richer?” asked the flier distributed by Connecticut Citizens Action Group (CCAG)..

Additionally, Cigna spent $7.2 billion buying back its own stock and reported $148 billion gross profits.

“Yes, 2022 was quite a year for Bloomfield based Cigna,” said CCAG.. “The problem is, all that money could have paid for health care – but instead made the rich even richer!”

They are calling for a review of practices that extract billions of dollars from health care citing nearly $400 billion spent in 2022 on executive compensation, profits, and stock buybacks by four publicly-traded health insurance companies: Elevance/Anthem, Cigna, CVS Health and UnitedHealth. 

 

These are the same insurance companies who threatened Governor Lamont should the state pass a public option which would have extended the state’s health plan to thousands of people. It would have been administered by private health insurance companies

“Their greed is appalling,” said Tom Swan, Executive Director of CCAG . “We spend more than any other country on healthcare and we have the worst results — because we treat healthcare as a commodity.  There are too many people extracting too much money.”

“We are sick and tired of corporate interests getting policy makers to punch down and perpetuate the lie that patient protections and utilization are the reasons that healthcare is so expensive,” Swan added. “We need to consider options like banning use of premium dollars for stock buybacks and transparency around vertical integration.”

Testimonies and a letter writing campaign demanded that the Connecticut Insurance Department (CID) take into account what is really driving health care costs and reject all proposed rate hikes. Instead. The CID was called upon to investigate what's really driving health care costs: executive compensation for the top executives, profits, lobbying, arrangements with vertically integrated entities, mergers and acquit ions.

According to the office of Health Care Strategy, In 2021 commercial healthcare spending grew 18.8% in Connecticut while median household income increased by only 1.9%, deepening the healthcare coverage crisis for families in the state.

Social Security's 88th Birthday: Protect and Expand

Demanding that Social Security be protected and expanded, the Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) joined with Rep John Larson on Monday and with the Dixwell Newhallville Seniors in New Haven on Thursday to enjoy birthday cakes and celebrate the 88^th year of Social Security and the 58^th year of Medicare.

“Social Security is a life line for thousands of retirees and needs to be preserved and strengthened,” said Bette Marafino, Connecticut ARA president, at the gathering of seniors at the Dixwell Q House.

In Connecticut 708,000 people depend on their earned Social Security benefits to make ends meet. Social Security contributes to at least half of the income of more than a third of beneficiaries 65 and older. Black residents over 65 disproportionately rely on Social Security for 90% of their income, reflecting discriminatory practices and lower wages when they were on the job.

Republican proposals to cut benefits, raise the retirement age and privatize the program for the benefit of corporate profiteers threaten to push millions of people into poverty. Larson, who represents Connecticut's first Congressional District, has joined with union and retiree organizations to introduce Social Security 2100 legislation that will expand benefits and secure Social Security into the future.

Speaking at the CSEA SEIU Local 2001 union hall in Hartford, Larson emphasized that “for 88 years, Social Security has been a promise between generations, a promise that you can retire with dignity after a lifetime of hard work. I am proud to join in support of protecting and expanding this program for years to come!”

The landmark Social Security 2100 Act Larson introduced with Rep. Jahana Hayes and 200 co-sponsors in June “will provide an across-the-board benefit increase for all recipients, ensure benefits better reflect seniors’ expenses, repeal the WEP/GPO that penalizes public servants, cut taxes for 23 million beneficiaries, and extend the solvency of the Social Security Trust Fund by asking those making more than $400,000 a year to finally pay their fair share,” he said.

The historic victory won in 1935 establishing Social Security took a prolonged fight including huge marches on Washington DC during the Great Depression. That same all-out unity in action is needed today to defeat extremist right-wing attempts to destroy Social Security and to pass new legislation that makes billionaires pay taxes like everyone else to secure and expand Social Security

CT Voters Support Offshore Wind, Strong Labor Requirements

Connecticut voters overwhelmingly support building offshore wind energy with strong labor standards to improve the economy. according to a poll released at a public forum in Middletown last week.

The poll, conducted in nine states by Impact Research, found that Connecticut voters support requiring developers to provide living wages and workplace safety protections for the jobs offshore wind will create.

“The Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs believes that the climate crisis presents an opportunity to build thriving sustainable, just, and equitable jobs,” said executive director Aziz Dehkan.

“When we discuss a just transition from a fossil fuel economy to a green renewable energy economy we talk about living wage jobs,” said Dehkan. “That means individuals and families must not only be able to afford adequate shelter, food, and health care but that these workforce jobs are safe and sustainable.”

He greeted the polling results which show that “a wide margin of Connecticut residents not only support offshore wind projects but want those jobs with strong labor provisions. Additionally, they see offshore wind projects as good for the state economy.”

Activists who support moving funds from military spending and nuclear weaponry to job creating green energy and human needs also greeted the poll findings, which include:

• By a 39-point margin, nearly two-thirds of Connecticut voters across all demographics support building offshore wind energy with strong labor standards (63% support / 24% oppose / 13% don’t know) including among Democrats (+68), Independents (+33) and Republicans (+5).

• Connecticut voters see strong labor standards like workplace safety and living wages as paramount for any jobs created by the offshore wind industry. They overwhelmingly view workplace safety protections (88%) and living wages and good benefits (79%) as very important requirements for jobs created by the offshore wind industry.

• Connecticut voters believe offshore wind will be good for the economy and jobs—two of their top priorities for lawmakers. By a 35-point margin, they believe building offshore wind energy will be good for the economy and by a 44-point margin, they believe it will create jobs (52% create jobs / 8% cost jobs). More than four in five Connecticut voters say strengthening the state’s economy (86%) and creating more good jobs (84%) should be very important issues for lawmakers working on energy and environment issues.

Connecticut Tenants Union Formalizes Structure

The fight to hold corporate landlords accountable for rent hikes and repairs got hotter this week as the Connecticut Tenant Union formalized its organization by electing officers and a constitution.

The Connecticut Tenants Union (CTTU) says that it “brings together tenants, tenant unions, and tenant associations from across the state who are organizing collectively to demand stronger rights for tenants; an end to displacement, landlord harassment, and eviction; and democratic control of our housing.”

Tenant union organizing began two years ago in Connecticut, with organizations now present in nine cities and towns. In New Haven, the Board of Alders voted that tenant unions can be officially recognized by the city's fair rent commission in structures with ten units or more, giving tenants the right to file complaints collectively.

During the pandemic housing costs shot up exponentially. When pandemic protections against evictions were lifted, the number of evictions and the number of unhoused also shot up, disproportionately affecting people with low incomes, people of color, seniors and families with children.

A well organized campaign for legislation limiting the amount that a landlord can increase rent in one year to four percent failed to make it out of committee in this year's session of the state legislature as the power and profit-motive of real estate interests out weighed the testimonies of hundreds of tenants and support from a majority in the state according to polls.

However, legislation requiring municipalities of 25,000 or more to establish fair rent commissions was enacted. A majority of cases brought before these commissions have won relief and been successful in prohibiting exorbitant rent increases by landlords and stemming evictions.

Tenant unions increase the power of renters to challenge landlords' extreme rent hikes and refusal to fix needed repairs by filing complaints en mass, and holding rent strikes as a last resort. As well, the formalized organization will allow tenants to lobby as one body in hopes of shifting the balance against corporate landlords at the state legislature.

Hannah Strajer, who was elected president of the Connecticut Tenant Union, told the media, “The core basic principle is that people should be able to have stability in their housing, they should be able to afford where they live, not give crazy percentages of their income to their rent and they should have continuity in their community.” The CTTU can be contacted at CTtenantsunion@gmail.com

Danbury Starbucks Workers Unionize Third Connecticut Store

Starbucks workers at the Berkshire Center store in Danbury won union representation in a vote of 18-1 on July 7. They become the third store to unionize in the state, joining baristas at Corbins Corner in West Hartford and at the Vernon store. Both won union elections last year although the company continues to refuse to bargain a first contract.

"I voted yes because worker exploitation is evil. We are more than cogs in a machine. We are the machine and we deserve a seat at the table," said Joe Gless, a barista in Danbury for three years.

"Being a part of this union is important to me because it gives us the power to advocate for one another. It ensures that our voices are heard, that we have a say in the environment in which we work,” said Jake Domey, a supervisor at the Berkshire Center store who has been with the company for 11 years. “It is time to remind Starbucks that its greatest asset has always been the people who work in their stores daily, and that we deserve more. Partners over profit."

“I voted yes to make my working environment better and to make it more of a welcoming experience for anyone who comes after me,” said Tyler Kilgore, shift supervisor who has been with the company for over five years.

Theresa Buchta has been a barista at Starbucks for a year. “This union victory sends a message to management and to every partner in our district that we deserve better and we can win better when we stand up together and advocate for our rights. Berkshire Center Starbucks is ready to join the national movement in the fight for a contract,” she said.

Over 8,000 baristas are part of Starbucks Workers United which is organizing for better working conditions, fair wages, and consistent schedules.

Starbucks has launched a ruthless union-busting campaign that includes threatening workers' access to benefits, firing over 230 union leaders across the country, and shuttering union stores. The NLRB has issued over 100 official Complaints against the Company, encompassing over 1,900 violations of federal labor law.

Since December 2021, over 330 Starbucks stores in 38 states and the District of Columbia have successfully unionized — more than any company in the 21st century.

People & Planet Before Profits – CT Economic & Social Bill of Rights

People & Planet Before Profits – CT Economic & Social Bill of Rights, Connecticut Communist Party USA, 2019

A living wage, socially useful job with the right to a union; decent affordable housing; healthcare; equal, quality, integrated public education from preschool through college; freedom from racism and all forms of discrimination, and a peaceful, stable environment are basic human rights for everyone.

Connecticut has stood up against the reactionary, anti-working class agenda of the Trumpite corporate extremists. But in our state the Yankee Institute and the greedy 1% are out to destroy what has been won and strip government of the ability to meet people’s needs. They are targeting the Black and Latino, immigrant and LGBTQ communities.

Instead of being the second most unequal state in the nation with high child poverty, Connecticut should take the lead for a new economy based on equality, sustainability and peace for youth and all generations. "A Green Peace New Deal." The budget gaps in our state and cities can be closed. if the rich pay the same taxes as the rest of us and funds from the military budget are reallocated to states and cities.

How can this happen? Unions, community groups and youth have the power by coming together and organizing across race, nationality, gender and generation on election day and year 'round.

Inequity is a built-in feature of capitalism. Fully ending inequality needs socialism where working people govern to benefit the 99% and put people and planet before profits. But the fight for a common sense program that meets immediate needs is what can win relief now and offer hope for the future. Such a program includes:

Jobs for Youth – Jobs for All
The lack of living wage jobs has led to growing poverty in towns across Connecticut, and loss of lives of youth to gun violence and school to prison pipeline
• Full employment for all with a union is the goal so workers can support their families with one job. A democratic union provides a voice for workers to demand decent wages, benefits and a safe work environment.
• End targeting of immigrants and separation of families. Expand the Trust Act for due process. Health care coverage irregardless of immigration status. Expand sanctuary cities. Civilian Review Boards to hold police accountable.
• Support local job programs like New Haven Works, which include a school to work pipeline for youth. First priority to African American and Latino communities with highest unemployment and poverty. Equal pay for equal work.
• Call on Congress to fund large scale national infrastructure repair and bring thousands of jobs to Connecticut repairing bridges, waste water and sewer lines, renewable energy, staffing after school programs, etc. Expand unemployment insurance, food stamps, affordable housing, and other social programs to meet real needs.
• Raise the minimum wage to a livable wage. Prosecute employers for wage theft. End deportations and criminalization of immigrant workers and communities. Support all workers rights to organize and join unions.
• End privatization. Support investment in public schools pre-K to college instead of charter schools that use public money but do not serve all children. Expand public health not private hospitals.

Fight Poverty - Tax the Rich
Connecticut's tax system continues to place the largest burden on those with the least, in the richest state where all income growth since 2009 has gone to the top 1%.
• Tax ultra-high incomes so the top 2% pay the same rate of state and local taxes as the rest of us, to raise $3 billion in new state revenue. Invest in universal early childhood education, and aid to municipalities for local tax relief and social services, creating thousands of jobs.
• Close corporate tax loopholes. Require giant corporations to pay the cost of public services when they force workers onto public assistance by paying low wages with no benefits.
• Tell Congress to reverse the Trump tax cuts for the rich, tax Wall Street speculation, and use the funds to ease the burden on states and cities.

Peaceful, Sustainable Jobs and Communities
Connecticut dependence on military production creates unstable, temporary jobs while building objects of mass destruction that have the potential to destroy the world. A transition to renewable energy and other jobs for community needs is required while ensuring all workers maintain their incomes and benefits.
• Transition our state economy and jobs from military production to renewable energy and community needs.
• Expand renewable energy and protect waterways, passive open space, community gardens and ensure environmentally responsible development in response to climate change
• Change national budget priorities to move money from military spending to meet the needs of our communities as envisioned in the Green New Deal proposal. Protect the income and benefits of military workers who are in transition to equally paying jobs. Call for a new foreign policy based on peaceful negotiations without 1000 foreign bases; wars and militarism.

Issued by CT Communist Party USA ct-cpusa@pobox.com peoplesworld.org cpusa.org
May, 2019
The Communist Party USA and the Young Communist League, formed by working people in our country 100 years ago, are dedicated to the interests and needs of the working class in our country. We
organize at the grass roots and work in coalitions to defeat the right-wing corporate agenda and win “People and Nature before Profits.” To end the exploitation of the capitalist system and the oppression, war, racism and other forms of discrimination and poverty that go along with it, our goal is a socialist USA, where working people will control their own destinies. We invite you to join us.

El pueblo y el planeta primero que las ganancias de los ricos.
Declaración de Derechos Económicos y Sociales de CT

Por un salario digno, un trabajo socialmente útil con el derecho a un sindicato; vivienda decente y
asequible; cuidado de la salud; educación pública integrada, igualitaria y de calidad, desde preescolar hasta la universidad; libertad para enfrentar al racismo y todas las formas de discriminación, en un entorno pacífico y estable, son derechos humanos básicos para todos.

CT se ha opuesto a la agenda reaccionaria y anti-obrera de los extremistas corporativos trumpistas. Pero en nuestro estado, el instituido yankismo y el codicioso 1% intentan destruir lo que se ha ganado y despojar al gobierno de la capacidad de satisfacer las necesidades de la gente. Este sector tiene como objetivo a las comunidades de negros y latinos, inmigrantes y LGBTQ.

En lugar de ser el segundo estado más desigualitario del país con una alta pobreza infantil, Connecticut debe tomar la iniciativa de una nueva economía basada en la igualdad, la sostenibilidad y la paz para los jóvenes y todas las generaciones. Las grandes brechas presupuestarias en nuestro estado y las ciudades pueden cerrarse. Si los ricos pagaran los mismos impuestos que el resto de nosotros y los fondos del presupuesto militar se reasignaran a los estados y ciudades.

Cómo se puede lograr esto? Por medio de los sindicatos, los grupos comunitarios y los jóvenes quienes tienen el poder al unirse y organizarse a través de la raza, la nacionalidad, y el género durante la temporada de elecciones y todo el año.

La inequidad es una característica incorporada del capitalismo. Para terminar con la desigualdad, se
necesita un socialismo donde la gente trabajadora gobierne para beneficiar al 99% y poner a las personas y al planeta por encima de las ganancias de los ricos. Pero la lucha por un programa con sentido común que satisfaga las necesidades inmediatas es lo que puede producir alivio ahora y ofrecer esperanza para el futuro. Tal programa incluye:

Empleos para jóvenes - Empleos para todos
La falta de empleos con salarios dignos ha llevado a un aumento de la pobreza en las ciudades de Connecticut, a la pérdida de vidas de jóvenes a causa de la violencia con armas de fuego y a la ruta que se ha construido de las escuelas hacia la prisión
• Por empleos de tiempo completo para todos con un sindicato como objetivo. De este modo los trabajadores pueden apoyar a sus familias con un solo trabajo. Un sindicato democrático proporciona una voz para que los trabajadores exijan salarios dignos, beneficios y un entorno de trabajo seguro.
• Terminar con la persecución a los inmigrantes y la separación de familias. Aplicar las mejoras al “acta de confianza”. Cobertura de atención médica sin importar el estatus migratorio. Expandir las ciudades santuario. Fortalecer las juntas formadas por civiles para supervisar el proceder de la policía. Hacer a la policía responsable de sus actos frente a la ley.
• Apoyo programas de trabajo locales como New Haven Works, los cuales son una vía que conecta directamente a los jóvenes con oportunidades de trabajo después de la escuela. Prioridad para las comunidades afroamericanas y latinas con mayor desempleo y pobreza. Por un salario equivalente al trabajo realizado.
• Llamado al congreso para que financie la reparación de infraestructura nacional a gran escala y que traiga miles de puestos de trabajo a Connecticut reparando puentes, alcantarillado, energía renovable, contratando a más personal para programas después de la escuela, etc. Por la expansión del seguro del desempleo, los cupones de comida, vivienda asequible y otros programas sociales que satisfagan las necesidades reales de nuestra gente.
• Por un incremento al salario mínimo acorde al estándar de vida digno. Castigar legalmente a los patrones por robo de salarios. Poner fin a las deportaciones y la criminalización de los trabajadores y comunidades inmigrantes. Apoyar todos los derechos de los trabajadores a organizarse y afiliarse a sindicatos.
• Fin de la privatización. Apoyar la inversión en escuelas públicas desde preescolar hasta la universidad en lugar de seguir apoyando a las escuelas semi-privadas “chárter” que usan dinero público, pero no atienden a todos los niños en nuestra comunidad. Ampliar la salud pública, no los hospitales privados.

Lucha contra la pobreza: Que los ricos paguen impuestos
El sistema tributario de Connecticut continúa imponiendo la carga más grande a las personas con menos recursos, en el estado más rico donde el crecimiento de todos los ingresos desde 2009 se ha ido al 1% de la población-los más ricos.
• Grabar impuestos a los que tienen ingresos ultra altos para que los ricos del 2% paguen la misma tasa de impuestos estatales y locales como el resto de nosotros, así recaudaríamos $ 3 billones en nuevos ingresos estatales. Por la Inversión en la educación universal infantil y la ayuda a las municipalidades para obtener alivios fiscales locales y más servicios sociales, creando miles de empleos.
• Cerrar lagunas fiscales corporativas. Exigir a las grandes corporaciones que paguen el costo de los servicios públicos cuando obligan a los trabajadores a recibir asistencia pública mediante el pago de salarios bajos sin beneficios.
• Dígale al Congreso que revierta los recortes de impuestos de Trump para los ricos, hay que poner impuestos a las especulaciones de la bolsa de valores de “Wall St” y usar esos fondos para aliviar la carga a los estados y las ciudades.

Empleos y comunidades pacíficas y sostenibles
La dependencia de Connecticut de la producción militar crea empleos temporales e inestables mientras construye objetos de destrucción masiva que tienen el potencial de destruir el mundo. Se requiere una transición a la energía renovable y otros trabajos que cubran las necesidades de la comunidad, al mismo tiempo que se asegure que todos los trabajadores mantengan sus ingresos y beneficios.
• Transición de nuestra economía estatal de producción militar a energía renovable y necesidades de la comunidad.
• Ampliar la energía renovable y proteger las vías pluviales, los espacios abiertos pasivos, los jardines comunitarios y garantizar un desarrollo ambientalmente responsable en respuesta al cambio climático
• Cambiar las prioridades del presupuesto nacional para mover el dinero de los gastos militares para satisfacer las necesidades de nuestras comunidades según en el “Nuevo Tratado Sostenible.” Proteger los ingresos y beneficios de los trabajadores militares que están en transición a empleos igualmente remunerados. Hacemos un llamado a una nueva política exterior basada en negociaciones pacíficas sin bases militares extranjeras; sin guerras y sin militarismo

Publicado por el partido comunista de CT-USA ct-cpusa@pobox.com peoplesworld.org cpusa.org Mayo de 2019
El Partido Comunista de EE. UU. Y la Liga de Jóvenes Comunistas, formada hace 100 años, están dedicados a los intereses y necesidades de la clase trabajadora en nuestro país. Nos organizamos desde las bases y trabajamos en coaliciones para derrotar la agenda corporativa de la derecha y asimismo poner a la "Gente y a la naturaleza antes que las ganancias de los ricos". Para terminar con la explotación del sistema capitalista y la opresión, la guerra, el racismo y otras formas de discriminación y pobreza, nuestro objetivo es un Estados Unidos socialista, donde los trabajadores controlarán sus propios destinos. Te invitamos a unirte a nosotros.