Labor Breakfast Launches Door Knocking for Elections

The IBEW hall in Hartford was standing room only at the annual Connecticut AFL-CIO labor breakfast the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Building trades, service workers, educators, health care workers, state workers in the mdist of contract struggles came together with allies serving in and running to be elected to Congress, Governor and the state legislture.

Over scrambled eggs and french toast, union members who are running for office told their stories. Keynote speaker, Congresswoman Jahanna Hayes rallied the crowd with her pledge that “once Democrats are back in the majority we will not slow walk on issues of people's needs, and I will lead in that fight.”

“Last time when we had a trifecta we should not have short stepped, “she said. “Affordability equals child care, and healthcare. We have to deliver on promises made.” Once named national Teacher of the Year, Hayes said that “the largest equity gap is in education. That has to change.”

Hayes said it is unacceptable that there are “two Connecticuts”, and “we have to change that. Unapologetic, firm, demanding leaders will deliver. “ To aplause she concluded,”This time we will center labor as it should be.”

Rep Katlyn Shake, candidate for State Senate in Stratford, called for more working class people to get elected to office at every level, emphasizing the victory last session of passing HB 5003, the most includinve workers' bill every enacted.

Political Director Ryan Hughes highlighted that early voting starts October 19. Union members were asked to sign up for Saturday door knocking. The top goal is to “make the Connecticut General Assembly more pro-union and pro-worker as we deserve.”

Governor Ned Lamont thanked workers in all sectors for keeping the state moving, saying “every day we're standing up for you.”

The program was opened with remarks from healthcare workers fighting for fair contracts at Wndham Hospital owned by Hartford Health and L&M Hospital owned by Yale Health.

President Ed Hawthorne and Secretary-Treasurer Shellye Davis gave greetings. With more people in favor of unions now than ever, now si the time to organize, he said..