Food Service Workers Win a New Contract

 

Foodservice workers at Southern Connecticut State University and Central Connecticut are celebrating a major win after successfully ratifying a new union contract with Sodexo. The agreement, reached after intense negotiations, delivers substantial improvements in wages, benefits, and job protections.

Over the four-year life of the contract, workers will receive a total of $8.18 in wage increases. In addition to the pay bump, the deal includes access to union-sponsored health insurance, an upgraded dental plan, a pension, and strengthened job security provisions, marking a significant step forward for the campus’s foodservice team.

The path to this agreement wasn’t easy. Bargaining began early in the day and stretched late into the night, finally concluding around 2 a.m. when Southern and Central union stewards and representatives from Local 217 UNITE HERE reached a formal agreement with Sodexo’s leadership. The new contract sets the tone for labor relations at Southern for the next four years.

This is a historic victory for the Southern workers," said Steward Nicholas McDonald. "We faced down Sodexo and proved we won't back down, we fought for our dignity and respect and we won better wages and benefits for our future.”

This hard-fought victory is resonating beyond Southern’s campus. Foodservice workers at Western Connecticut State University, who are currently in their own contract talks with Sodexo, are drawing inspiration and momentum from Southern’s success. The newly ratified agreement signals that meaningful gains are within reach for other unionized Sodexo employees across the state.

Local 217 UNITE HERE praised the determination and solidarity of Southern’s workers, emphasizing that their persistence helped secure a contract that reflects their value and contributions to campus life. As negotiations continue at other Connecticut state universities, Southern’s breakthrough stands as a powerful example of what collective action can achieve.

Tenants Uphold Right to Organize at Sunset Ridge

 

New Haven, CT — Tenants from the Sunset Ridge Apartments spoke out at a press conference urging their corporate landlord, Capital Realty Group (CRG), to cease union-busting and intimidation tactics at the sprawling, 312-unit complex.

The Sunset Ridge Apartments are home to hundreds of New Haven residents, mostly workers not earning enough in wages to afford market-rate rentals. The complex is designated as low-income housing tax-credit property (LIHTC), so most tenants pay a slightly below-market rent but do not benefit from income-based rent subsidies.

April, who has lived in the complex for 21 years, took the mic to recall how beautiful it was when she first moved in, kid friendly and well maintained. Never was there a mouse or roach problem, she said, until five years ago when Capital took over. Now, pests are out of control. When her 93 year-old mother's apartment flooded repeatedly. Capital told her to move.

"Their answer to fix something is just move. At 93 years." exclaimed CT Tenants Union organizer Luke Melonakos.

Juan said his rent has kept going up, but repairs like replacing a carpet in bad condition, are not taken care of. “If they raise the rent they've got to fix it.” he declared.

Along with community allies, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker stood in solidarity with the tenants seeking to organize a union, sending a message to Capital Realty Group that the right to organize is fundamental and in New Haven, it is still respected! In 2022 New Haven was the first city in Connecticut to adopt an ordinance establishing a process to recognize tenant unions.

Issues uniting the tenants include mice and roach infestations; widespread mold; water leaks and sewage problems; heat/hot water outages; repeated false claims of owed rent; and predatory towing without notice.

Like the recently organized union at Park Ridge Apartments, also owned by Capital Realty Group, some tenants receive rapid repairs while others are left for weeks or months with unsafe conditions. 

In escalating attempts to stop tenants from unionizing. Capitol Realty Group staff have: called the police on tenants speaking with their neighbors about forming a union. They have accused union organizers of “being with ICE” and blamed the widespread pest infestations on “tenants being dirty”. Two CT Tenants Union representatives visiting residents were served “no trespass notices” among many other acts of intimidation.

While banning CTTU organizers and journalists from speaking with the residents and creating an environment of surveillance and intimidation to discourage tenants from speaking with each other, Capital Realty Group has openly supported, encouraged, and funded (including a bouncy house and large meal) a so-called “Sunset Ridge Tenant Union.” This “tenant union” is run by an un-elected board that includes at least one confirmed CRG employee.

This attempt by a corporate landlord to establish a “company tenant union,” is from the playbook of corporate tactics used to bust labor unions and prevent workers from forming their own organization.

Despite the environment of intense repression, Sunset Ridge tenants are fighting back. They seek to join the nationwide movement of tenant unionization at CRG-owned properties in their fight for dignified housing. Renters in Detroit, Kansas City, Billings, and Louisville, and across town in New Haven, have already formed majority unions and are pushing for a bargaining process with the principles of CRG—Moshe Eichler and Sam Horowitz—over the deteriorating conditions of their homes.

Hannah Srajer, president of the tenants union, repeated that Capital Realty sends one message to tenants: Dont get together to solve your problems. She said very soon the union would enter its next organizing stage: Tenants getting their neighbors to sign union cards. "We support the drive until we go all the way. This will be the 8th union across country."

Peter Fousek, secretary treasurer of the union explained why we were out here.

“We are here,” said Peter Fousek, Secretary treasure of the union, “because tenants have to have one, two or three jobs, and work 70 hours per week to pay their rent, yet suffer health threats in their apartments.”

Despite the mice and roach problems the rent keeps going up. “We are here, he said, “to celebrate tenants fighting.”

When tenant union leaders met with the owner Moshe Eichler., he welcomed tenants negotiations and agreed to no retaliation to union tenant union organizers.

“He forgot what he promisedm” said Fousek. “We are here to remind him what he said. That means not following tenants. Not telling tenants who they can bring into their apartments, their friends, neighbors, or the press. Freedom of speech means we can talk. We are ready to take Eichler up on his offer for good faith negotiations.”

Faith, Labor and Community March Demands Immigrant Protections

 

[Hundreds of faith leaders and people of conscience marched from the Federal Building to the north side of the State Capitol on October 5 to demand Governor Lamont and state legislators call a special session and protect immigrant community members from the violence of ICE.

Organized by the Greater Hartford Immigration Action Alliance (GHIAA), they called for “safeguarding personal data, ensuring courthouse access, preventing indirect ICE support, and maintaining HUSKY coverage for all by ensuring that surplus revenue be invested in communities and not sent away as debt payments to Wall Street”

“ This is not the moment for our leaders to be silent. This is not the moment for our leaders to keep their heads down.” said Rev. Josh Pawelek, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society East, CT for All, and the GHIAA Strategy Team..

“This is the moment for speaking truth to power. There are common sense policies ready to go that would make a meaningful difference in the safety of Connecticut’s immigrant communities, and we call on our leaders to pass them in a special session this fall,”

Kevin, a member of Make the Road CT emphasized that “Without medical coverage, my health could get worse — for me, this truly is the difference between life and death. Like many immigrants, I came here looking for a better future, and now I’m just fighting to stay alive and healthy.”

“Many essential workers are immigrants who came here seeking the same thing all of us want—a chance to work hard and live with dignity,” said Rochelle Palache, Vice President of 32BJ Connecticut, “These workers clean our schools, guard our buildings, and keep our communities running. It’s unconscionable that those who give so much to our state are treated as disposable. Protecting them isn’t just an act of compassion—it’s an act of justice.”

Demand for Special Session: Use $2 Billion Surplus for Human Needs

 

The demand for a special session of the state legislature in October grew on October 1 as union, faith and community leaders, joined by elected officials, spoke out at a press conference at the state capitol urging action be taken to invest the state's $2 billion surplus in human needs and to advance immigration protections.

Organized by Connecticut for All, the advocates stated. “As even more chaos and uncertainty unravels at the federal level, Connecticut’s elected officials have a choice.” calling on legislators to “ face this chaos boldly and timely, with a cohesive strategy that protects Connecticut's most vulnerable residents through protective policies and broad investment that leverages the billions found since June to safeguard communities.”

 

“Without urgent action, the advocates said, Connecticut families will face devastating consequences now: hundreds of thousands could lose health coverage or food assistance, school districts could see millions in federal education cuts, and higher education would become even less accessible as loan and grant restrictions take hold. “

“At the same time, healthcare costs for middle income families will continue to skyrocket, while wealthy donors benefit from private school voucher schemes that siphon public dollars away from our schools. By investing state resources directly into healthcare, child care, housing, and education legislators can shield our communities from these harmful federal rollbacks and ensure Connecticut families are not left behind.”

Tenants Union takes on Alpha Capital in Niantic

Tenants in Niantic at the Bay Point Apartments, formerly known as Windward Village, made history when they announced the formation of the Bay Point Tenant Union, representing 70% of the occupied units at the 60-unit apartment complex. Backed by the Connecticut Tenants Union, they are demanding collective bargaining with their landlord, Tyler Smith of Alpha Capital Funds. They were joined at the announcement by Sen Martha Marx, co-chair of the legislature’s Housing Committee, Rep Nick Menapace, and local supporters.

Tenants formed the union, the first of its kind in southeastern Connecticut. after more than a year of drastic rent hikes and deterioriating conditions since Smith’s takeover in 2024. Many of the residents, elderly longtime renters. were confronted with rent increases of $800 to $1000 a month.

They organized quickly, speaking out at town meetings, writing to legislators, and demanding action. Their pressure led to the establishment of the East Lyme Fair Rent Commission  in late 2024, a town of less then 20,000. With support from Connecticut Legal Aid, Connecticut Fair Housing Center, Step Up New London, New London Homeless Hospitality Center, and the Center for Housing Opportunity in Eastern Connecticut (CHO-EC), tenants brought forward many cases against Alpha.

In response the property was renamed “Bay Point” in 2025, but mold, broken appliances and unusable laundry facilities got worse. “Changing the name doesn’t change the reality,” said one tenant leader. “We are still living with poor conditions, unfair treatment, and rent hikes. That’s why we need a union.”

By forming a union, Bay Point residents are taking collective action to demand a seat at the table with Alpha Capital Funds, stable rents, safe living and accountability in property management.

In 2024, Alpha Capital’s owner, Tyler Smith, faced allegations of orchestrating false testimony at the State Capitol by directing employees to impersonate tenants during a hearing on the proposed Just Cause Eviction tenant protection bill.

Tenant leaders and advocates say this moment is bigger than one building. The Bay Point Tenant Union reflects a growing tenant movement across the state.