HELP SAVE THE JOBS OF DEDICATED BJ 32 WORKERS

Photo Above: Members of SEIU BJ 32 and their labor and community supporters march on the Hartford Courant to save janitors jobs. See other photos at the end of this article.

Members of labor unions and community organizations joined with their brothers and sisters of SEIU 32 BJ in a spirited demonstration today to stop the Hartford Courant from contracting non-union janitors. In a statement release by the 32 BJ it noted:

"We are the janitors who have been cleaning the Hartford Courant facility of many years in order to support our families. Some of us have been working here over twenty years.

It looks like on October 1, 2011, Capitol Cleaning, our employer, will no longer have the contract here. Please reach out ot RICHAD J. GRAZIANO, president of the Hartford Courant, and tell him to save good jobs that provide affordable health care."

You can reach Richard J. Graziano, president of the Hartford Courant at: 860-241-6780.



Posted by Tom Connolly

SEIU 32 BJ RALLY - SEPT. 28, 2011

Please come out to support your union brothers and sisters of SEIU 32 BJ who work for Capitol Cleaning and clean The Hartford Courant. The Hartford Courant will be replacing Capitol Cleaning with a non-union company in the very near future.

There will be a rally on:

Date: Wednesday, September 28
Time: 12 Noon
Place: The Hartford Courant (around back at the loading dock entrance) at the Flower Street/Lawrence Street side under the 84 underpass.

For more information, please contact the SEIU 32BJ at 850-506-8674
Posted by Tom Connolly

THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE EARLY CONNECTIONS PROGRAM

PHOTO ABOVE: Parents, students, staff and labor and community supporters marched from the CT legislative office building to the Department of Developmental Services' (DSS) today to protest cuts to the Early Connections Birth to Three program. [See additional photos at the end of this article.]

The Department of Developmental Services (DSS) "Early Connections" Birth to Three program is a primary source of intervention and care for infants and toddlers with special needs in local communities across Connecticut. The program was established under the Unified Schools District #3 in 19789 as the first of its type in Connecticut, and has since served more than 40,000 children.

Barbara Carlson, mother of two Early Connections graduates noted, "Early Connections enables families to become strong advocates for their children. To eliminate this program would deny many families the dream of seeing their children realize their potential, the very basic desire of any parent." The program currently services about 250 children and their families. The staff has been notified that they are no longer able to accept new admissions and the program will be permanently closed.

In 2009, DDS stopped accepting referrals to Early Connections, and even closed new admissions for nearly six months. The move was so costly that the former commissioner testified to the legislature at the time that it contributed to dragging the department $ 9 million deeper in deficit.

As far back as 2006, program administrators acknowledged that fiscal burden of shutting-down Early Connections. It a report to the department, they assessed a cost of between $87,610.00 and $116,813.00 to shift each teacher's caseload, based on serving between 12 and 16 children, to private contractors.

With the increase in the service demand for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders and other developmental delays, not is not the time to limit choices for Connecticut families.

CALL GOVERNOR MALLOY'S OFFICE TODAY AT (800) 406-1527 OR Twitter @GovMalloyOffice or email from the governor's webpage at www.governor.ct.gov/malloy/

KEY POINTS: 1. Early Connections is Connecticut's original publicly operated Birth to Three program and has been nationally recognized for the quality of its intervention and school readiness services for more than 30 years.

2. Early connections is the primary source of intervention and care for children under three years old with delays and special needs, including children with Autism, in local communities across the state.

3. In 2009, the DDS Commissioner testified to the legislature that outsourcing the state's publicly-operated Early connections program helped drag the agency at least $9 million deeper in deficit.


Posted by Tom Connolly

PEACE AND ART FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER 11

The 10th annual Hope Out Loud Peace and Arts Festival will take place on:

DATE: SUNDAY, SEPT., 11, 2011
TIME: 1-5 PM
PLACE: The Church of Good Shepherd, 155 Wyllys St. Hartford, CT

ORGANIZING SPONSORS: CT Coalition for Peace and Justice, Church of the Good Shepherd, West Hartford Citizens for peace & Justice.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Phone: 860-523-4823 or http://www.hopeoutloud.org/

Posted by Tom Connolly

Working Families Annual Action Meeting

Working Families Party had their annual meeting today in Hartford, CT. The Working Families Party led the successful fight for the "Sick Days" bill. Connecticut was the first state in the union to pass such legislation. Other successful initiatives where also noted along with Working Families election victories.

The meeting featured the three democratic candidates for US Senate and an information session on three "bold new policy ideas for Connecticut." Several hundred people attended the event. Photo Above: From left to right: Democratic US Senate candidates: Susan Bysiewicz, former Connecticut Secretary of the State, William Tong, State Representative and Chris Murphy, U.S. Representative.

The three bold policy issues discussed were: (1) The development of the Connecticut Partnership Bank, molded after the successful Bank of North Dakota (2) Green Jobs modeled after the the Green Jobs-Green New York action and (3) The development of a state pension fund for those in the private sector currently without a defined pension.

If you want to join in the action for a better Connecticut and a better America contact the Working Families Party at: ct-workingfamilies.org or (860) 656-9676.
Posted by Tom Connolly