Union Organizing Surges, to be Celebrated at Amistad Awards

Union organizing has escalated in Connecticut since the November 8 mid-term election victories.

All summer and fall, labor and community allies worked tirelessly speaking with voters, listening to their concerns, and getting out the vote to reject MAGA Republicans' anti-worker agenda. Two new union leaders were elected to the state legislature and Rep. Jahana Hayes and the entire Congressional delegation was re-elected.

Now, grad workers at Yale University are mobilizing for their own election to win recognition of Unite Here Local 33. They delivered a petition to the NLRB signed by 3,000 of the 4.000 grad workers. For the first time in 30 years, the University is not blocking the election process.

Baristas at Starbucks are pressing forward for union recognition and a contract. A national Solidarity “Sip In” will be held on Saturday November 19 at the 250 stores where union elections have been won, including at the Corbins Corner West Hartford store from 9 am to 3 pm.

Both the grad student workers at Yale and the unionized Starbucks baristas will be featured “In Solidarity” at the People's World Amistad Awards on Saturday, December 10 at 4:00 pm at the historic Dixwell Q House, 197 Dixwell Avenue in New Haven.

Salwa Mogaddedi, courageous leader of Starbucks Workers United at the Vernon store, who has led in organizing her co-workers throughout her cancer treatment, will receive one of three Amistad Awards.

Union leader and climate justice activist Mustafa Salahuddin, president of Amalgamated Transit Union 1336 in Bridgeport and board member of CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs and CT AFL CIO, will also receive an Amistad Award.

Leslie Blatteau, newly elected president of New Haven Federation of Teachers 933 (AFT CT) will receive an Amistad Award in recognition of her outreach to parents and community and focus on anti-racist curricula and social justice activism over many years.

Special recognition will be presented to Brian Steinberg for his lifetime of commitment and organizing for equality, real democracy and peace in Hartford, in Connecticut and nationally. .

Featured performer will be Jay Hoggard, world renowned jazz vibraphonist and composer blending jazz and gospel with African marimba rhythms.

The event is dedicated to the living legacy of Art Perlo and will celebrate the 2022 election victories and inspire ongoing unity for workers' rights and the rights of all to vote and live in dignity. For more information visit:
https://tinyurl.com/amistad-2022

Connecticut Voters Uphold Democratic Rights For All

Thousands of door knocks and conversations across the state delivered a strong affirmation that Connecticut voters firmly support voting rights, abortion rights and workers rights, rejecting the corporate agenda of election deniers.

Former teacher Rep Jahana Hayes was declared the winner on Wednesday in her close race against Republican utility executive George Logan. U.S. Sen Richard Blumenthal defeated Trump-backed Leora Levy, as all five Democratic Representatives, and the Governor won re-election.

Two new labor leaders were elected to the state senate. Jan Hochadel in Meriden, president of AFT Connecticut and Martha Marx, nurse and union member in New London.

And voters empowered the legislature to amend the state constitution to allow for early voting.

Hundreds of volunteers visited the homes of 82,000 union members in key election districts to discuss issues and get out the vote during two months of labor walks organized by the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

“Those conversations led working people to turn out and vote in waves, defying the odds and denying political extremists the power to further erode our freedoms and rig the economy to their benefit,” said president Ed Hawthorne.

“Workers are going to benefit from having an impressive number of union leaders serving in the state senate who are fighting for their interests rather than the interests of corporate CEOs.” he said.

SEIU unions also mobilized hundreds of volunteers to call and knock on the doors of their members supporting Rep. Jahana Hayes.

Hayes' fierce defense of working people's needs was lauded by AFT president Randy Weingarten during a stop in Meriden on the AFT Votes bus that toured 15 states.

Connecticut Unite Here members spent weeks campaigning in Philadelphia as part of a team of 1,000 who knocked almost three million doors in Nevada, Georgia, Arizona and Pennsylvania. In New Haven Sarah Grube posted: “So proud to work for a union that is fighting for democracy and for workers' rights across the country! I was able to see the power of workers here in Connecticut as we ran canvassing programs in multiple cities in order to ensure that *OUR WORKERS* have a *VOICE.*.

The People's World Amistad Awards on Saturday December 10 at 4 pm at the historic Q House in New Haven will bring together those who fought this election battle to celebrate victories and get ready for the next steps in the struggle for equality.

“We Will Not Go Back”

After decades of organizing, a huge victory was won in Connecticut this year with passage of the bill outlawing companies from requiring workers to attend “captive audience” meetings. This company tactic is aimed at scaring off union organizing drives and a collective voice for workers.

Now, just days before the crucial 2022 elections, the US Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to overturn the captive audience law.

“This law simply helps level the playing field for working people in Connecticut and we will not go back,” said Ed Hawthorne president of the Connecticut AFL-CIO.

“Without this law, workers seeking to form a union would again be frequently subjected to coercive captive audience meetings. These are mandatory, closed-door meetings during work hours where workers are often threatened and harassed about their union support,” he explained.

The Chamber of Commerce action underscores the importance of a large voter turnout to uphold democratic rights.

It was the leadership of worker champions elected to the State Legislative in recent years that enabled passage of the captive audience bill. More candidates representing the voice of workers are now seeking election. .

Across the country, the November 8 elections present a choice: Will democratic rights and voting rights be destroyed or will they be protected and expanded?

Voter turnout will determine the results of this election, especially in close races like the Fifth Congressional District where corporate interests whose profits have soared are challenging the outstanding record of Jahana Hayes who has delivered on behalf of all working class people.

The captive audience bill, abortion rights, affirmative action, Social Security, prescription drug costs, climate justice and the right to vote are all at stake.

As well, early voting is on the ballot in Connecticut. A dozen major civil rights and racial justice organizations urge a “yes” vote on the ballot question to allow the legislature to amend the state constitution and include early voting “to improve access to the democratic process for everyone.”

They say it will “reduce the unfair impact of transportation barriers, long lines, and inflexible work schedules, which can make voting on Election Day harder for voters of color,” and “help to level the playing field for voters employed in hourly-wage sectors, where workers often have less control over their schedules and may not have access to paid time off.”

Voter Turnout Crucial to Secure Democratic Rights

Far from being a solution, the newly issued Republican Contract with Connecticut and the national Republican Commitment to America would be a huge step backward for working class families and communities.

The Contract with Connecticut endangers the quality of life for the majority in our state. It does not tax wealth, does not tax giant corporations, does not take the big steps needed to change the fact that we are the most economically and racially unequal state in the country.

Instead it calls for local control. It fuels attempts to limit public school curriculum and exclude teaching about racism.

Instead of making voting easier, it opens the door to more restrictions, even though Connecticut ranks fourth in restrictive voting measures.

It would undo the long sought police accountability legislation negotiated by Judiciary Chair Sen Gary Winfield, adopted by the General Assembly and signed into law by the Governor, that holds police accountable and increases safety for communities. Despite claims to the contrary, crime rates have gone down.

The national agenda jeopardizes Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, requiring that these earned benefits be renewed every five years. It jeopardizes the right of workers to unionize by eliminating the National Labor Relations Board.

The Contract with America that Newt Gingrich and the Republicans put forward in 1994 turned out to be a nightmare for low and middle income families and a gift to billionaires and corporate America.. It slashed funding for people helping programs, gave big tax cuts to the super rich, and eliminated regulations on giant corporations.

It has taken many years of organizing, still underway, to reject the divisive “trickle down” agenda that only benefits the top few. Now, in an attempt to attract votes for the 2022 elections, the same false promises have reappeared.

The Contract with Connecticut would undo the progress toward equity being made in our state as a result of grass roots organizing for living wages, racial equity, climate justice, reproductive health for women, and to reverse Connecticut's upside down tax system.

This election is about preserving and expanding all democratic rights. The results will be determined by voter turnout on November 8.

As Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO president, said “We are up against MAGA Republicans who are poised to strip our rights. The time to rise up is now.”

Graduate Workers Demand Respect and a Union

Pouring rain did not stop over 1,000 graduate teachers and researchers and their allies as they marched from Yale president Peter Salovey's mansion to his office on Prospect St. chanting “What do We Want? - -Union When do We want it? -- Now.”

The graduate workers are demanding university neutrality at all levels as they sign up their co-workers for union recognition of Unite Here Local 33.

“I know to be a good teacher to my students, I need to be trained, supported and adequately paid for the work that I do on this campus,” said Abigail Fields of the French Department who led the speaking program.

Graduate workers from departments across the campus demanded respect for their work and neutrality, including from the sciences, humanities and languages, and the professional schools.

Several told how they are forced to live pay check to pay check without medical security, despite the importance of their work to the University's functioning.

“In 1994 the University told us we did not need a union, we did not need jobs, we were working for pin money,” said Barbara Vereen chief steward of Unite Here Local 34 which represents 4,000 clerical and technical workers, recalling their organizing drive.

“Look what we turned these jobs into today! The best jobs with the best benefits because Local 35 service and maintenance workers stood with us,” she said pledging solidarity with Local 33..

“You are a part of the entire U.S. Labor movement!” said Gwen Mills, secretary treasurer of Unite Here. “We are calling on Yale to publicly commit to remaining neutral on this union election.”

“I asked myself how New Haven could be a place for everyone to thrive while Yale only has a few people's interests at heart?” said Mills. “The answer I bring is solidarity.”

Among those who marched with Local 33 were many elected officials, representatives of other unions and community groups organized by New Haven Rising.

Graduate workers first sought union recognition in the 1990s. During the most recent attempt in 2016 the university claimed graduate teachers and researchers are students not workers, refusing to recognize a union.

U.S. Rep Rosa DeLauro kicked off the march calling on the university to “recognize the graduate workers and their union,” while U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “This is what democracy looks like.”