Solidarity Message: “This is the time to rededicate ourselves as organizers”

Addressing the People's World Amistad Awards alongside members of his union, Rob Baril, president of SEIU 1199 NE, who accepted the Award in 2020, called for increased organizing. Excerpts follow:

“ The Amistad Awards for generations has played an incredibly important role in bringing together folks in community, people who are long distance runners in the fight for justice. That is more important now than at any point in our lifetimes.

“ We're weeks away from a very tumultuous and intense period for working class people in this country and around the globe. The Amistad awards helps to strengthen our spirits. This is the time to rededicate ourselves not just as activists, but as organizers.

“ Our role is to bring together others in greater and greater numbers, uniting the power of working people white, Black and Brown, understanding that the things that unite us are much more powerful than the things that divide us.

“The MAGA movement wants us to believe that we cannot win, that those who believe in something other than greed and mean spiritedness are alone. This is a time to renew our understanding that organizing is life for those who believe in a more just world.

“Our members in health care during the pandemic, felt those feelings of being abandoned, of defeat. And in our union, they found a place to come together, to unite and to find some justice.

“We lost track of our lost souls. We also lost track of the number of civil disobedience actions, the number of rallies and demonstrations and pickets, the number that went out on strike, and all of the fights, all of our struggles that made a difference.

“And that's the spirit that we're going to have to keep really close to our hearts and renew as we move forward. So I ask each of us to use this event to get us ready to bring the best of ourselves to the fights in 2025 and beyond.

“This year thousands of nursing home workers are prepared to strike. We have contract negotiations for group home workers that care for the mentally ill and the addicted with less and less resources at a time of greater and greater need. We are going to keep showing up and demanding that health care is a right for all, not a privilege for the few.”

Plans Advance to Defend Migrant Families

 

Immigrant organizations, school boards, mayors and state officials have been meeting with comunities across the state to put into place protections for immigrant families in advance of Trump's promised deportation raids.

Attorney General William Tong has made it clear that Connecticut's values of protecting all residents will be upheld including the Connecticut Trust Act which prohibits government workers from cooperating with federal immigration officials.

In addition to neighborhood community meetings being held by organizations such as Semilla Collective in New Haven and Deportation Defense in Hartford, an Immigration Town Hall in New Haven on December 5 with Tong, New Haven Mayor Elicker and School Superintendent Dr. Madeline Negrón indicated that multi-lingual “know your rights” materials, additional school counselors, and outreach to nearby towns are being put into place as part of a coaalition-building effort.

In New Haven a General Order also prohibits city personnel from cooperating with immigratin authorities.

On December 18, International Migrant's Day, immigrant led organizations held a press conference at New Haven city hall as part of a national grassroots day of action and solidarity including Unidad Latina, Hamden Action NOW!, Peoples Center, NDLON, NILC, Greater New Haven Peace Council and CT Shortline Indivisible, in collaboration with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON).

In a statement NDLON said, “As the incoming Trump administration advances its threats of mass deportations, immigrant committees and worker centers are convening actions big and small to unify immigrant communities, local and national partners.  In the face of the many attacks against indigenous migrant communities and the threat of deportations by Donald Trump

“Our adversaries wish and expect our immigrant communities to disappear in the silence of night.  That is because they know nothing of our courage.  But we know of the courage in our communities,” said Pablo Alvarado, Co-Executive Director of NDLON.  “They want to instill fear in us, with their extremist rhetoric and policies. But all they will do is fan the flames of our indignation.  And we will turn this indignation into action.” 

At the Immigration Town Hall Tong, who is reaching out to Attorneys General in other states, called on all community organizations to become engaged saying the experience of struggle gives hope. “It is only possible if we fight for each other.”

Union Sues to Hold PURA Accountable

 

Communication Workers of America Local 1298 (CWA) filed suit in Connecticut Superior Court against the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) to halt its interference in CWA’s collective bargaining agreement with Frontier Communications.

CWA’s labor contract protects job security and limits Frontier’s use of non-union contractors. Recent PURA decisions purport to compel Frontier to use contractors for vital utility pole repair work, however, in violation of a state statute that prohibits PURA from interfering with labor contracts.

Jordan Cozby, a law student intern in the Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic at Yale Law School, which represents CWA Local 1298, stated, “Without legal authorization, PURA has gone to extraordinary lengths to undermine union jobs in Connecticut and make utility poles less safe. This is the kind of behavior we’re accustomed to seeing from corporations who ship jobs overseas, not from a state government agency. By holding PURA accountable in this lawsuit, CWA Local 1298 will protect Connecticut jobs and infrastructure.”

Collective bargaining agreements have always been central to protecting Connecticut telecommunications workers’ jobs, wages, benefits and safety. This protection strengthens the local economy and investment in skilled workforces.

That is why, when the Connecticut legislature created PURA’s predecessor in 1911, it explicitly barred PURA from interfering in contracts between public utilities companies and their employees. The law remains in effect today, and is supposed to protect CWA’s collective bargaining agreement with Frontier from interference by PURA.

Despite this law, PURA has issued a series of decisions since 2021 that mandate Connecticut public utilities employers outsource telecommunications work long protected by CWA’s collective bargaining agreement to contractors.

CWA petitioned PURA in April 2024, asking it to respect state law and cease its interference in CWA’s collective bargaining agreement. In October, PURA refused, concluding that its actions were above the law and immune from the review of courts.

CWA is now asking the Connecticut Superior Court to hold PURA accountable and to prevent reliable, good-paying union positions from being replaced with exploitative contractors in violation of state and federal law.

“CWA members work day-in and day-out to expand telecommunications access and provide safe infrastructure across Connecticut. PURA’s decisions have violated state law and put the jobs of 1,400 CWA members in jeopardy,” said CWA Local 1298 President David E. Weidlich, Jr. “The men and women of Local 1298 will not allow this agency to operate with impunity and take away our jobs.”

PURA’s attempt to insulate its anti-union decision from review is a threat to democratic accountability and essential workers across the state. PURA implemented this mandate only after the General Assembly considered and rejected a similar proposal to require the use of third-party contractors in recent legislation.

 

Protection pledged to immigrant communities

Vowing to do all in their power to protect against the terror of mass deportations and family separation promised by Trump, immigrant and community groups were joined at a Capitol press conference by Attorney General William Tong and other elected officials.

“It is the policy and it is the law of the state of Connecticut to respect, honor and protect immigrants and immigrant families here in Connecticut. Full stop,” said Tong. The Trust Act passed by the General Assembly in 2019 prohibits federal immigration officials from commandering state law enforcement to cooperate. .New Haven is among Connecticut towns with policies preventing government officials from cooperation with ICE.

Immigrant and refugee communities are overcoming fear with solidarity and plans to protect families and children as best they can. In 2007 when the City of New Haven was the first municipality in the country to adopt a resident card available regardless of citizenship status, ICE retaliated with cruel raids.

Among the organizations preparing rapid response metods are the National Immigration Law Center, (NILC), Students for a Dream, and local allies including the ACLU. “If the Administration comes for immigrants in our beloved community, “I will do everything to protect,” said Kica Matos director of NILC who lives in New Haven and is raising funds to dramatically expand their team of lawyers.

Also at stake are the living conditions for youth whose deferred action (DACA) status is threateneed and whose health care (Husky for Immigrants) is covered up to the age of 15. Trump has threatened to cut funding from states that did not support him.

In a statewide zoom call the ACLU discussed how they are preparing to respond to the needs of the immigrant community as well as all those targeted including the lgbtq community and communities of color, with legal aid and know your rights resources. At a rally of 1,000 called by West Hartford Pride, fears were high for possible loss of funding for healthcare, housing and other supports.

Resistance, solidarity and a vision of equality will frame this year's People's World Amistad Awards to be held on December 14 at 4 pm tat Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School in New haven around the theme around the theme “We who believe in freedom will not rest until it's won.”

Zero tolerance for racist text messages and policies

When news came that the racist text messages being sent to young Black people across the country had shown up in Connecticut it was chilling, but no surprise. The vicious and divisive messages that Trump delivered at his campaign rallies have embolden those with racist intent.

At Hillhouse High School in New Haven the messages telling young people to report for duty “at the nearest plantation to pick cotton” were traumatic. The principal acted swiftly to make counselors available to any students in need of support.

School superintendent Dr. Madeline Negrón issued a message to parents. “I unequivocally condemn these messages and the hateful sentiments they express,” she said. “Our school district prides itself on being a safe and inclusive environment for all students, regardless of their race, background, or beliefs. These messages stand in stark contrast to our core values of respect, diversity, and unity. Hate has no place in our schools, and we must collectively work to ensure that our community reflects these principles.”

When the messages were received in Bloomfield the FBI was called in to investigate. The cell phone messages are being sent in a way that hides the identity and location of the sender.

Bloomfield officials condemned the racist text messages saying,"Racist language, behavior and rhetoric have no place in Bloomfield, and we are committed to ensuring that every member of our community feels safe, valued and respected,"

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong also spoke out saying,"I join Bloomfield leaders in condemning these disturbing racist messages. There is zero place in Connecticut for this kind of hate,"

In Connecticut, hate crimes legislation was expanded in 2021 to create a new hate crime charge of intimidation based on bigotry or bias, and the formation of the Connecticut State Police Hate Crime Task Force.

In addition to police, hate crimes can be reported to school officials or to elected officials.

It is no accident that the messages began showing up right after the election of Donold Trump, whose campaign was based on hate and division.

Hate speech can lead to physical violence and harms everyone with intimidation.

Zero tolerance for hate speech should be extended to zero tolderance for racism and bigotry in hiring practices and housing, along with support for enacting an equity agenda to correct these injustices.