CT ARA Awards Luncheon Honors Rep Jane Gariby, Joelle Fishman and Art Perlo

An enthusiastic crowd renewed their commitment to protect and expand Social Security and stand up for the dignity and justice of all retirees during the Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans (CT ARA) annual awards luncheon held at Central Connecticut State University.

State Rep Jane Garibay accepted the Charlene Block Award, and CT ARA Recording Secretary Joelle Fishman accepted the Kevin Lynch Award on behalf of herself and in honor of Art Perlo.

Kevin Lynch, founding president of CT ARA, presented the award to Joelle, saying it was long overdue. He praised her constant solidarity with workers and social justice struggles and People's World circulation with husband Art Perlo who helped organize Local 34 at Yale 40 years ago and served on the eboard of Yale Unions Retirees Association (YURA) at the time he passed away in December 2021.

The award presentation included a heartfelt appreciation from New Haven Alder Evette Hamilton representing YURA, and a proclamation sent by Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro

As coordinator of CT ARA's founding community affiliate, the New Haven Peoples Center, Joelle told how those early members marched and fought for Social Security, union rights and an end to racial discrimination in the 1930's.

In 2005 Art said bluntly, “Social Security is in danger, not because it is running out of money, but because it is running into vultures who want to kill our retirement security so they can feast on the carcass.”

Now said Joelle in a call to action, “the MAGA Republican vultures circling to kill Social Security depend on divide and conquer tactics. They use race baiting, labor hating and red baiting. So we have to be all about unity and solidarity. This fight can be won if we all stick together.”

The full speech is available at https://ctpeoplebeforeprofits.blogspot.com/2023/06/joelle-fishman-accepts-kevin-lynch.html

Presenting the award to Garibay, Amelia Smith praised her community activism and leadership as chair of the Aging Committee to improve adult day centers, and protect seniors in nursing homes and home care.

“I never expected to be in the legislature,” Garibay said with a smile. “Now I know this is where I should be.”

Chaired by CT ARA president Bette Marafino, the event opened with remarks by Connecticut AFL CIO leaders Ed Hawthorne and Shellye Davis along with national ARA representatives Tommy McLaughlin and Roger Boudreau.

Joelle Fishman accepts Kevin Lynch Award for CT Alliance for Retired Americans

 

Joelle Fishman remarks at CT ARA annual awards luncheon

June 26, 2023 at Central Connecticut State University

Thank you so much, Kevin.

I am so deeply moved and of course greatly honored to be recognized on behalf of Art and myself for our commitment to the CT Alliance for Retired Americans. And congratulations and appreciation Rep Garibay for your work on the Aging Committee at the State Legislature. I'm so happy to be awarded with you.

I clearly remember the day that Kevin Lynch called me and invited the Peoples Center to be the community affiliate to enable CT ARA to qualify for its founding charter. We were all so excited. The certificate issued by the national ARA hangs in the front hallway of the Peoples Center.

And now years later under the leadership of Bette Marafino along with Win Heimer CT ARA is a place where retirees from lots of unions can join together and keep up the fight.

The founders of the Peoples Center in 1937 were immigrant workers who led huge marches that won Social Security and unemployment compensation. They helped organize some of the early unions in New Haven, and pioneered to end racist segregation.

From the moment Social Security was signed into law, the corporate profiteers have been aiming to get their hands on that money – our money from our labor!

Art put his many talents and creativity into that fight among many others. He said bluntly “Social Security is in danger, not because it is running out of money, but because it is running into vultures who want to kill our retirement security so they can feast on the carcass.”

He followed that up by helping organize a youth for social security rally on the New Haven Green with Lisa Bergmann showing the unity of generations in this fight. It was wonderful to hear high school students talk about what Social Security meant to them and their families.

That was in 2005 when George W. Bush had appointed a special commission designed to undermine and privatize Social Security. But Art's statement could have been made today as the MAGA Republican vultures circle.

I'm so proud to be part of ARA in the thick of the fight for the dignity of all to protect and expand Social Security and to eliminate the WEP and GPO (thanks to Mary Elia and Bette for leading that nationally).

This fight can be won if we all stick together. Thank you Recovery for All coalition for organizing that way in this legislative session and beyond. Educators and students and health care workers and immigrant families and racial justice advocates and retirees and the entire labor movement and faith based and community groups Black and Latino and white deciding to stick together.

At our joint ARA and AFSCME retirees meeting in May it was powerful to hear Mairead Painter, CT State Longterm Care Ombudsman say that it was because all the groups working on seniors issues decided to support each others' bills, the whole agenda passed committee led by Rep Gariby. Can you imagine it took all that to require nursing home owners to provide air conditioning in the rooms of people who live there!

The MAGA Republican vultures circling to kill Social Security depend on divide and conquer tactics. They use race baiting, labor hating and red baiting. So we have to be all about unity and solidarity.

During the budget fight when it was said there wasn't money for everything, instead of fighting each other everyone stood together in support of all the needs. Wasn't the beautiful May 17 rally at the capitol powerful? How many were there?

Imagine if that unity sticks, do you think we can elect more working class champions and get rid of the spending cap, tax the rich, enact Medicare for All and meet people's survival needs in the richest state?

Imagine if that unity sticks, do you think we can stop the MAGA Republicans from taking over Congress and the White House and robbing Social Security and all our rights?

I was thinking about what makes ARA so special. It's union power.

Art was part of the original organizing committee of Local 34 at Yale. ( Happy 40^th anniversary!) and then part of YURA under Pat Carta's leadership. We saw so many workers at Yale change their thinking as a result of the union experience. Once they saw that collective action can win better working conditions, pay and benefits, they were in.

I always remember one union sister during the recognition strike, I think her name was June. She told Art the union is fine but I'm not going on any picket line. One day after lots of house visits she showed up and started walking the picket line. This was on Whitney Ave at the driveway where delivery trucks came in. One truck turned to try and cross the line. All of a sudden there she was standing in the middle of the driveway arms spread out blocking the truck, “No you don't,” she said. She went on to become a leader in her department.

That understanding of the power of collective action by the multi racial working class doesn't go away after retirement. Retired union members who remain connected to the labor movement are able to carry the message into the community. ARA and all the union retiree organizations can do that.

We can do that in 2024 and beat the circling vultures before they destroy all our rights and our democracy.

In case you can't tell I grew up in a union household. My mother Edie Fishman is here with us in spirit and she's listening on the phone. Can we give her some love? In their youth, Edie and my father George joined those marches that won Social Security and when they moved to Connecticut 30 years ago they added a lot to our CT ARA chapter.

I grew up in a union household, and a Communist household during the repressive era of the 1950s when McCarthyism aimed to crush unions and every progressive challenge to corporate rule. That means I grew up knowing we were on the side of the workers and not the bosses. I grew up on the union picket line at Campbells Soup in Camden New Jersey where my father worked, I grew up marching as part of the civil rights movement. I knew we were on the side of racial justice and equality and not the KKK.

I learned early on that an injustice to anyone is an injustice to everyone and I've tried to live my life that way as did Art.

Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. said in his Time to Break the Silence speech “We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together. And you can't get rid of one without getting rid of the other.” He called for “a radical redistribution of political and economic power.” saying “our weapon is our vote.”

2024 is just around the corner. Now is the time to start talking issues with our retiree members, family and friends so we can stop the circling vultures..

Art always had two tables to sit at when we came to ARA events – the Peoples Center and YURA! I know he's at both tables now and at our side in every fight going forward.

I am so moved by receiving the Kevin Lynch Award. I hope it will make our unity and vision stronger so we can win a better world.

Group home workers end strike but continue struggle against poverty

While their struggle to end poverty continues, group home and day program members of SEIU 1199NE agreed to new contracts at six agencies, ending a weeks long strike.

The new contracts cover the next two years, starting on July 1, 2023, with an option to reopen negotiations after the first year. Direct care providers will receive raises of $1.25 an hour or more in the first year.

“We have achieved agreements that we are proud of with the six agencies. In some cases, folks are getting long overdue seniority raises up to 14% at some agencies,” said union President Rob Baril.

“We know that the struggle to end poverty for long-term caregivers must continue. But the real victory is that our leaders and workers clearly understand that we are leading a movement that will eventually lift all long-term care and essential workers out of poverty.”

Baril pointed out that “with more than a decade of austerity budgets, Medicaid services for individuals with disabilities were underfunded by hundreds of millions of dollars since 2008.”

The contract demands were connected to the state budget fight. Through the Recovery for All coalition, the workers received solidarity support from the 70 member organizations including CT AFL-CIO unions, community and faith based organizations.

A rally of 2,000 at the State Capitol in May featured teachers, para educators and students in public education, health care workers, racial justice groups, immigrant organizations, all pledging to support each others budget needs and calling for emergency action to circumvent the constitutional spending cap, and to tax the rich.

To emphasize the urgency of their situation, 57 workers participated in a civil disobedience action blocking the street outside the state capitol. Tents were set up on the capitol lawn to dramatize the reality that some caregivers are forced to sleep in their cars, unable to afford rent on their meager wages.

These actions pushed the budget negotiations. The adopted state budget included $150 million in additional Medicaid funds for group home and day program providers. The funds were added on to the budget bill during SEIU 1199NE’s strike against poverty at the State Capitol.

The biennial budget also included $50 million in bonding to repair and improve facilities at group home and day program agencies.

Over 1,700 group home and day program caregivers began striking on Wednesday, May 24, at six agencies that provide services for 1,500 individuals with disabilities: Oak Hill, Mosaic, Whole Life, Network, Caring Community, and Alternative Services, Inc.

“We are thankful for the state leaders that fought with us for the funding necessary to achieve economic justice in this vital healthcare sector,” said Baril.

“Clients and workers deserve so much more. Government has the responsibility to do so much more. This forces our movement for living wages to come back stronger to raise standards for publicly funded workers. Our fight to end poverty for long-term care providers continues,” he emphasized.

The long-term caregivers will continue to fight for a pathway to $25/hr minimum wage, affordable healthcare, and funding for retirement after decades of service.

 

Connecticut Welcomes the Golden Rule Peace Boat to End Nuclear Weapons

Across Connecticut, sailing from port to port, the peace boat Golden Rule sparked learning, discussion and renewed commitment for a “nuclear free world and a peaceful, sustainable future.”.

The peace boat's year long loop journey began down the Mississippi River and is now sailing up the East Coast, visiting dozens of ports. Sponsored by Veterans for Peace, the project highlights the grave and present danger of nuclear war and urgently calls on the United States to stop nuclear proliferation and join other nations in the UN Treaty on Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The restored historical peace boat originally set sail in 1958 to stop planned nuclear testing on the Marshall Islands. The crew was stopped and arrested attracting international attention.

Captain Kiko Johnston-Kitazawa, a boat builder, is dedicated to this education project because in his hometown of Hilo, Hawaii “probably over 40 percent of the people there when I was a kid were of Japanese descent...so they got word back pretty quick, what it's like to be under a nuclear bomb,” after the destruction of Hiroshima.

Arriving in Norwalk on Memorial Day, the crew was greeted by local Veterans for Peace members who had just marched in a peace contingent in their local holiday parade.

Three days later, the Golden Rule sailed into Long Wharf Harbor in New Haven, escorted by a City fire boat. A busy three day schedule followed as the crew visited peace monuments, addressed public schools, and enjoyed a concert with speeches from peace and climate change activists t the pier.

Visiting the Peace Garden which designates New Haven as a United Nations Peace Messenger City, the crew received a proclamation from Mayor Justin Elicker.. Recognizing decades of organizing by the City of New Haven Peace Commission and the peace community, Elicker said to applause, “We need to spend more as a nation on social services than we do on military We need to invest more in our people than we do in arms.”

Arriving in Hartford, the Golden Rule crew received a Citation from Connecticut's General Assembly and a welcoming Resolution from Hartford's Mayor and Common Council in support of the treaty. In Middletown the crew met with the Mayor on their way to New London for two days filled with public dinners, concerts, and a rally against nuclear weapons at New London City Pier before leaving for points north.

Caregivers Strike Continues with Growing Suport

Striking group home and day program caregivers marked week two of their strike against poverty with a rally at Emanuel Lutheran Church, followed by a march to the State Capitol, as Nobel prize winning economist Paul Stiglitz issued a statement of support.

Over 1,700 group home and day program caregivers are striking at six agencies that provide services for 1,500 individuals with disabilities. They are demanding a pathway to $25/hr minimum wage, affordable healthcare, and funding for retirement.

“We make sure that the people we serve can live their life with dignity,” said Alana Davis, a striking caregiver at Whole Life “We’ve been showing up for years. Governor Lamont: it’s time for you to show up for us.”

Connecticut AFL-CIO President Ed Hawthorne said. “If the decision-makers in the Capitol were forced to live in their cars, choose which bills can be paid each month, and struggle with the decision whether to take a sick child to the doctor, then we would not be having this conversation.”

Joseph E. Stiglitz, Nobel Prize economist, issued a statement in support of SEIU 1199NE’s strike against poverty:

“No publicly funded employee caring for others and working full time should be dependent on our welfare system. Raising wages for low-wage workers creates immediate savings in state budgets because they will no longer need to rely so heavily on public programs. It also stimulates the economy because workers will spend their raises as consumers of goods and services in our communities. Public dollars should be used to lift working people out of poverty, not keep them in poverty whether they are working on behalf of for-profit or nonprofit organizations.

“The costs of housing, healthcare, and childcare have increased rapidly, but wages for Black, Brown and white working-class caregivers have remained stagnant. Governor Ned Lamont needs to acknowledge that austerity policies have left the government ill-equipped to address the needs of our most vulnerable individuals. Failing to pay living wages to the workers who provide long-term care and essential services has weakened the economy as a whole.

“A healthy economy is one in which everyone has the economic security, support, and protection they need. A strong economy is one in which everyone prospers. It's one built on the solid foundation of smart investments, and shared prosperity in recognition that all labor has dignity.”