Demand Grows: ICE Out Of CT

ICE deportation police have been active in Connecticut, abducting children and parents from the street in unmarked vehicles. The communities where they live are calling for ICE to get out.

In Meriden, Kevin, age 15, was detained just before his graduation and flown to Texas. His family and classmates responded to the horror by organizing a walk in solidarity with him.

In New Haven a mother taking her two children to school was forcibly removed from her car and taken away leaving her children in panic. At a rally at the Federal Building later that week her daughter courageously spoke. “I need my mother,” she said, flanked by Kica Matos, president of the National Immigration Law Center and Leslie Blatteau, president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers. Mayor Justin Elicker shared his outrage, thinking about his own children of the same age and pledging New Haven will always remain a welcoming city.

In Southington four workers were snatched away from their job at a carwash and arrested. At that moment in Hartford union and immigrant organizations were holding an emergency rally at the State Capitol. It was one of dozens held around the country called by Service Employees International Union demanding the release of their California president David Huerta who was arrested while observing an ICE raid of his workers in Los Angeles. Huerta was released later that day and now faces federal charges of interference.

The rally at the New Haven Federal Building was joined by 150 community leaders, immigrant rights organizations, and allies to denounce this wave of unjust detentions, as well as to oppose attacks on social activists and the growing criminalization of social protest and migrant communities across the United States.

The crowd chanted along with Kica Matos, “We are a city of immigrants. ICE stay out of our city.”

Demands included: An end to ICE raids and the military’s involvement in immigration enforcement; Accountability for all agencies and officials; Protection for the right to protest; ICE out of CT; End Deportations NOW!

Peoples Center Re-opens Jobs and Unemployed Committee

 

Even before the threatened MAGA billionaire budget's massive cuts, as many as 40 percent of people in Connecticut have been living on the edge, struggling with food, housing and financial insecurity. A report from Data Haven shows the emergency need for more funding for basic needs, not less.

Addressing this crisis, the Peoples Center has re-opened its Jobs and Unemployed Committee. During the pandemic the Committee prepared and publicized information about increased federal funding that was available. Now, the information being amplified is where to go as funds are cut.

A Know Your Rights flier issued this week asks, “Worried about cuts to human needs funding? Looking for resources that can help? Turn fear into power. Know your rights. Organize.”

Information about how to “Make Your Voice Heard” features an appeal to call Connecticut Senators Blumenthal and Murphy to demand that everything be done to stop the people-hurting budget now before the US Senate.

The flier lists Resources for housing, food security, healthcare access, immigrant rights and diversity-equity-inclusion. Recognizing that the agencies and organizations attempting to bridge the gap have limited capacity, the Committee is pledged to help navigate resources with those in need as possible.

At the same time the Committee is geared to bring people together to demand fully funded state and cities by taxing the rich and cutting military and deportation funds.

Listed emergency Resources include:

CTLawHelp.org which provides self-help materials on housing, your rights, and how to file a Fair Rent Commission complaint in your town: Call 1-800-453-4420

Connecticut Food Share which has information about local food pantries and community kitchens and applying for SNAP Call 203-469-5000

The Office of the Health Care Advocate assists with accessing affordable health insurance or services, including Medicare, Husky, Access Health CT, Employer-Sponsored Insurance, and TRICARE. Call 866-466-4446

CT Immigrant Rights Community Resources has know your rights videos, legal resources, family preparedness, resources for schools, public events calendar. On-line at https://sites.google.com/view/ctimmigrantcommunityresources/home

State of Connecticut Judiciary Branch has information about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion rights. 1-800-833-8134

Contact the Peoples Center Jobs and Unemployed Committee at 203 624-8664.

Students and Teachers Demand Fully Funded Schools

 

New Haven Public School teachers, paraprofessionals, librarians, art educators, union leaders, parents, and students turned out in force to Monday night’s Board of Education hearing to use their voices, and powerful moments of silence, to show opposition to the devastating teacher cuts being proposed for next school year.

Trump's sweeping elimination of social programs and massive cuts to the Department of Education are making their direct impact on New Haven.  The national cuts, and Connecticut Governor Lamont's resistance to releasing the state's "rainy day" funds into educational spending, are leaving New Haven with a $16.5 million deficit for its school budget in the 2025-2026 academic year.  

New Haven's Superintendent of Schools made it known this past April that 129 teaching and coaching positions are at risk of being eliminated in the fall of 2025.  This would include 29 art teachers, 25 literacy and math coaches, 25 school librarians, 19 paraprofessionals, 4 clerical staff, and 27 other teachers.  Many of these positions, including all 25 school librarians in the district, have already been proposed for elimination.  

One teacher, who has served New Haven for 31 years, explained that between New Haven, Hartford, and Bridgeport, these three districts serve 49 percent of all Black and Brown students in the state, and all three of these districts have proposed librarian and reading coach layoffs.  “It is a question of equity,” she said in her powerful testimony.  New Haven Federation of Teachers Executive Vice President Jenny Graves emphasized that "management has not faced cuts to their wages or positions, while our student-facing teachers are in this unimaginable situation."  She also explained that a number of buildings that are not in use could be officially closed to save costs and save teachers' jobs.  

The New Haven paraprofessionals union, AFSCME Local 3429, took a particularly moving series of actions  during the hearing.  Union members signed up to testify, and whenever one of the local’s members was called up to speak, their entire union delegation approached the podium and stood in silence for the full three minutes of allotted time, holding up signs that said: “We Support Every Child.”  Their action was repeated at least 8 times during the hearing.

High school senior, student member of New Haven's Board of Education, and organizing leader Juan Carlos Serana Musser was given a standing ovation for his leadership in the battle to protect funding for New Haven’s Schools.  Juan Carlos and other high school students have organized hundreds of their peers in the last four months to testify at the capitol (March 19th), turn out to union and May Day rallies (May 1st and May 3rd), face arrest in civil disobedience (May 21st), and participate in coordinated school walkouts (May 30th), demanding the funding that they deserve for their education and supporting their teachers. 

Other students testified on Monday night about the profound impact that their teachers have had on their lives, and how angry they feel that their teachers are being targeted by the budget cuts.  The students' efforts have gotten legislators' attention, and have demonstrated their mature solidarity with the labor movement.  

The bottom line?  As Trump and his billionaire friends continue to completely devastate our country's resources for every day working families, the people continue to fight back.  New Haven's Public Schools and community are standing strong and unified in the face of unprecedented attacks. 

Gov. Lamont: Which Side Are You On?

 

A top legislative priority of the Connecticut Afl-CIO this session is SB 8 to allow Unemployment Insurance for striking workers after two weeks. The Senate and House passed the bill, but Governor Lamont says he plans to veto.

Union members and advocates have been asking the Governor, “which side are you on?” In a statement Connecticdut AFLCIO president Ed Hawthorne said,

“The passage of this bill in both chambers with a bipartisan vote marks a critical victory for working people in our state. For too long, working families have had to choose between exercising their legal right to strike for fair treatment and putting food on the table.

“All Senate Bill 8 would do is provide a basic safety net to ensure that working people can stand up for fair wages and job security without the risk of complete financial ruin.

“What really scares corporations is that this legislation would prevent employers from using the financial hardship of workers as a bargaining tool. And it would help create a more level playing field between working people and large corporations.

“Once again, we’d like to remind Gov. Lamont that RTX, Electric Boat and other large corporations are not his constituents. The thousands of hardworking people who work there are.

June 14 - Defeat the MAGA Billionaire Budget

 

The State Capitol grounds is a state focal point for the national No Kinds National Day of Definace on June 14, expected to attract huge crowds. The Hartford rally starts at 11 am.

A key demand will be to defeat the MAGA Billionaire Budget in the U.S. Senate. This is the moment to make our voices heard. There are rallies in other Connecticut towns as well inlcuding Glastonbury, New London, Bethel, Waterbury, Westport, Cornwall, Enfield, Stamford, Torrington, Willimantic, East Lyme and New Haven.

A wide array of organizations are co-sponsoring the rallies, building on May Day and other rallies in April.

Union Calls for Declaration of a Fiscal Emergency

 

Gov Lamont and House members were welcomed to the Capitol the last Saturday of the legislative session demanding funds for needed programs. The 200 CSEA SEIU Local 2001 union members called for taking down the fiscal guardrails that are siphoning away funding. 

“With the second largest surplus in our state’s history projected, we should not be fighting over crumbs,” they said. They called on the Governor to declare a fiscal emergency and adjust the archaic fiscal guardrails to allow for critical investment in core programs that will meet immediate needs and improve economic stability. 

“It is morally unjust and fiscally irresponsible to sit on billions in surplus while core programs are woefully underfunded. We can do better - we can’t afford not to.,” their statement declared.

In his remarks, president Travis Woodward emphasized,“Too many people in this state are scraping by while billionaires hoard more and more. Our communities are shortchanged by broken budget rules and a political system too afraid to tax the wealthy,”

“We need affordable health care, paid time off, and stability. We can’t keep holding the system up while we’re being crushed underneath it,” added Maria Reyes, President of the SCEA Childcare Council.

“This is personal. It’s about whether students like my son AJ have the support they need. Whether paras like me can stay in this profession. Whether this state is going to stand up and do the right thing—or keep hiding behind roadblocks and excuses,” said Vicky Celyan, a Danbury Public School Paraeducator declaring, “Connecticut has the money.”

“What happens when you stack this kind of uncertainty—on top of an effective pay cut come July 1st, on top of grants being canceled, on top of federal attacks on immigrants and science? You lose the next generation of public service workers,” explained Meghan Cahill, an Agricultural Research Technician, “This is a turning point. An inflection point. Our state can either commit to the values and people that make Connecticut strong—or it can abandon us the same way the federal government has.”

Avelo Boycott National Protest Demands End to Deportation Flights

 

New Haven was joined by 25 cities in a national day of protest on May 31. as the boycott of Avelo Airlines grows. demanding they end their contract with ICE for deportation flights.

During the seven hour vigil at Tweed Airport protesters lined the entrance gates “to mourn and stay in solidarity with those who have been and will be removed without due process,” said the Community Engagement Team of the New Haven Immigrants Coalition that organized the action.

Participants wore black funeral garb, brought flowers and images of those who have beem unlawfully removed.

Anger erupted in April when the deportation flights became known. Protests drew members of the immigrant community, clergy, state and local elected officials, and others who oppose the unprecedented mass deportation policies of the Trump administration being challenged in court.

A petition pledging to boycott the airlines until they stop the flights has garnered 38,000 signatures.

"This business decision of deporting using commercial planes contradicts New Haven's values, especially for a company that markets itself as 'New Haven's hometown airline,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. “Travel should connect people, not separate families."

The deportation flights have operated began on May 12 from the Mesa Gateway Airport in Arizona where protests have been held.

When Connecticut Attorney General William Tong requested information on the DHS contract and the flights, the company arrogantly directed him to make a “Freedom of Information Act” request. Tong also asked the airline to confirm that it won’t operate deportation flights from any Connecticut airport and that it will never operate flights with shackled children.

Reacting to the corporation's non-response Tong said, “It is clear all they intend to do is take state support and make money off other people’s suffering.” Avelo, which established operations in New Haven in November 2021, as its East Coast hub, enjoys an aviation fuel tax break from the State of Connecticut.

The national day of protest came two days after New Haven and five other Connecticut cities appeared on a DHS list of ​“sanctuary jurisdictions” that the Trump administration ordered to ​“immediately review and revise their policies to align with Federal immigration laws and renew their obligation to protect American citizens, not dangerous illegal aliens.”

East Haven, Hamden, Hartford, New London, and Windham wee also on the list. 

Last December New Haven City government began working with immigrant rights groups and community allies to build relationships and prepare for whatever actions the federal administration would take against this City, a welcoming city since 2007. New Haven Immigrants Coalition, with a strong component of youth leaders, holds weekly know-your-rights trainings and has helped the city create a list of resources.

The city has joined San Francisco and several other municipalities suing the Trump administration in federal court arguing that withholding funds from municipalities that limit local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement is unconstitutional.

At a press conference called by Mayor Justin Elicker in response to the DHS list, he affirmed that New Haven is following the law and is proud to be a welcoming city.

“We are not afriad, they want us to be afraid, but we are going to come together,” said Ambar Santiago-Rojas a high school student and leader of the New Haven Immigrants Coalition, who had just helped lead a walkout of 300 students for school funding. “The undocumented community, and the Black community, and women, lgbtq+ and students must come together and we will come together,” she aid.

Rev. Scott Marks, director of New Haven Rising, the community organization related with Unite Here condemned the attack on the city saying, “Imagine the workers who make this city work, who are undocumented, the nervousness that they may have. We want to fight to make sure that this city remains safe.”

During the national day of protest against Avelo in New Hampshire, where Avelo Airlines flies routes out of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, proesters stood along I-293 exit in Manchester leading to the airport. Among them was State Rep. Seth Miller from Dover New Hampshire who purchased two billboards near Tweed New Haven Airport that read: “Does your vacation support their deportation? Just say AvelNO!” When the billboard company took down the ads Miller went to court suing Avelo on Firt Amendment grounds.

“I'm under no delusion that Avelo stopping these flights means these flights stop,” he said. “But it makes it a little harder, makes it a little more expensive. It means other people have to do it. And once that's done, we'll go after the next ones.” said Miller.

 

Lakeland is one of three cities in Florida that held actions on the national day of protest, along with Palm Beach, Fort Myers and Sarasota.. "Avelo is a financially struggling company, poorly managed, poorly financed and by their own admission is taking the ICE contract in order to maintain their bottom line and to profit," said Matthew Boulay at a press conference called by the Stop Avelo campaign in Lakeland. "It’s profit over people. It’s blood money. It’s shameful." he said.

 

A protest in Houston, Texas was held outside Avelo Airlines national headquarters on Greenway Plaza. In Rochester, New York protesters held signs and banners on the Brooks Avenue overpass at I-390 near the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport opposing Avelo's collaboration with ICE deportation flights. 

 

Protests were held in three Oregon cities including at the Eugene Airport, Mahlon Sweet Field, from which Avelo operates weekly flights directly to the Hollywood Burbank Airport in Los Angeles. where a protest was also held. Organized by Indivisible the call said:. “Let’s stand together against fascism, family separation, and corporate complicity. No more silence. No more flights. #StopAvelo.” .

 

California's US Senator Alex Padilla said in a news release “Given the Trump Administration’s mission to indiscriminately deport our nation’s immigrants – without due process, in violation of the Constitution and federal immigration law, and, in some cases, in defiance of court orders – it is deeply disturbing that Avelo has determined that its partnership with ICE is ‘too valuable not to pursue.” 

 

Protests were also held in Albany, New York; Arcata, Santa Clarita and Sonoma California; Chicago, Detroit; Kalispell, Montana; Las Vegas; McLean, Virtinia; Medford and Salem Oregon; Raleigh-Durham and Wilmington North Carolina; Traverse City, Michigan and Wilmington, Delaware

 

Connecticut Families at Risk: Congressional Billionaire Budget Heads to the US Senate.

 

A huge fight is shaping up in Connecticut and across the country demanding the US Seante defeat the life-threatening billionaire budget bill debated in the dead of night and passed by the US House. It is the largest transfer of wealth from people's needs to billionaires in history and would cause irreparable harm to all but the top one percent.

Called the “big beautiful bill” by Trump, it has been denounced as a “betrayal to the working people of this country” by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler and scores of union, community and faith leaders.

“It will throw millions of children, seniors and families off their health care, gut funding for nursing homes and rural hospitals with devastating effects for care jobs, cut investments in jobs of the future and push food assistance out of reach—all to give the rich and big corporations another tax cut,” she declared.

The key features include a 10-year $4.5 trillion tax cut for corporations and the rich, alongside a $715 billion cut in Medicaid depriving 15 million people of health care, elimination of SNAP food aid to 42 million people, plus ending all aid for pregnant women, infants and toddlers alongside an increase in military spending to at least $1 trillion.

Hidden measures include prohibiting Judges from use of contempt of court, and allowing the IRS to unilaterally declare any non-profit organization, including unions and universities, as “terrorist” groups, losing tax-exemption

“Connecticut families are at risk,” warns Connecticut Voices for Children.in their analysis of how the bill would affect the people of this state. “If enacted,” they say, the policies within the Act would dramatically cut funding for essential programs Connecticut residents rely on, making it harder to access health care, afford food and pursue higher education, while delivering massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy and corporate interests.”

A giant national “No Kings Day” action in every state being planned for Saturday June 14, is scheduled for 11 am at the state capitol in Hartford. The protests will build unity and momentum to force the US Senate to vote the bill down. Calls to Congress and visits to the offices of US Senators are underway. 

 

Rev William Barber announced that the Moral Mondays movement he leads is joining with Indivisble to mobilize nationally for “No Kings Day” and oppose the immoral budget, “not only to resist autocracy and mean-spirited policy, but also to build the kind of coalition we need to help this nation become the America we’ve never yet been.” 

 

The measure needs 51 votes to pass the Senate. Of the 53 Republican senators, several are undecided including Murkowski (AL), Collins (ME), Johnson (WI), Paul (KY), Tullis (NC), Hawley (MO). If all Democrats and four Republicans vote no the bill will be defeated.

“Congressional House Republicans have approved the largest cuts in American history to Medicaid and SNAP.  In doing so, they’re breaking their promises to lower costs for families and help people on the margins of the economy,” said Emily Byrne, Executive Director of Connecticut Voices for Children. 

 

“The cost of massive tax cuts for the richest people and most powerful corporations in America are being paid for by low- and middle-income children and families who will now have a harder time paying for healthcare, food, and household essentials,” she said.

 

Calling on policymakers “to oppose the Congressional House budget plan, which increases the national deficit by $3.8 trillion and provides the largest tax giveaway to people who don’t need financial help at the expense of children and families who do,” Connecticut Voices for Children issued a study highlighting the greatest financial impact on Connecticut families and the state budget.

 

“Drastic, proposed funding cuts and structural changes to Medicaid, SNAP, and other core economic security programs will put more children and families at risk of poverty and without food, housing, and healthcare.”  

 

A $715 billion cut to Medicaid over nine years impacts 15 million US residents. The State would be responsible for closing a fiscal reduction to Connecticut of at least $476 million per year. In addition co-pays would increase for those covered by Medicaid expansion.  

 

A $300 billion cut to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP) over nine years impasts 40 million US residents and all non-citizens. This means a fiscal reduction to Connecticut of $44 million up to #222 million per year.

 

“Unprecedented proposed changes to higher education and budget increases to enforce a mass deportation agenda.”

Eliminates PELL Grants for students enrolled in college less than half-time. Eliminates subsidized student loans

Adds $150 billion in new money for the Defense Department and national security. Increases to the Department of Homeland Security of $51 billion for a border wall, $45 billion for ICE to build family detention camps plus, and $27 billion for agents.

Eliminates access to the child tax credit from 4.5 million citizen children who reside within immigrant family households.

“Massive, proposed tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy and powerful corporate interests who don’t need tax giveaways while irresponsibly increasing the deficit”

More than $5 trillion in tax cuts, including a permanent extension of tax cuts to wealthy and increases the estate tax exemption to $15 million. Increases to state and local tax deduction caps (SALT) from $10,000 to $40,000 for incumes under $500,000 a year. A 100 percent tax credit for donations to private school voucher groups.

Eliminates the child tax credit for 20 million citizen children in low income working families. Ends green-energy tax cedits by 2028. Increases the US federal deficit by $3.8 trillion.

Connecticut's Congressional delegation voted unanimously in the US House against the bill, and Senators Blumenthal and Murphy are campaigning for defeat of the bill in the US Senate. A massive public outcry is critical to defeat the bill they say.

1199 workers win funding, avert strike

8,000 nursing home workers and group home workers, members of SEIU 1199 NE began preparing to strike if they had to five months ago. It was a daunting situation, with wages so low that most of the workers were forced to hold two or three jobs, with some unable to afford rentals living in their cars. Most were one check away from losing everything. These caregivers carry out heroic work and lost members to COVID during the pandemic.

Without adequate Medicare funding allocatted from the state of Connecticut, there was no ability to bargain with nursing home owners for an increase in wages and benefits. The workers shared their stories with community allies and members of the state legislature and won their support. But the fund were not forthcoming.

Finally, on May 1^st, they delivered a strike notice to the Governor. Preparations were made for the workers to report to the Capitol grounds for a massive picket line on May 27. On Friday befoe the Memorial Day weekend, negotiations reopened and enough funds were allocated for the workers to win wage increases from $22 to $26 by 2028. The committee voted to take the offer from the Governor and withdraw the strike notice.

Gov. Lamont agreed to Medicaid reimbursement increases of $164 million over three years for nursing home workers, with the goal of $30 an hour. Group home workers got $149 million in increases over two years that should increase pay from the current $18 an hour to above $20 an hour.

Union members voted “overwhelmingly” to approve the new funding package and call off the strike said president Rob Baril. “The agreement provides for substantial funding increases in both group homes and nursing homes, and makes important and meaningful progress toward livable wages in both sectors.”

Now, in phase two the caregivers, who work at 51 nursing homes and 173 group homes, will be bargaining with dozens of employers to get contracts that deliver on their wage increases to meet the rising cost of living.

As well, they are facing an attack from threatened federal cuts to Medicaid which covers the work of most of the members, and could cause job losses and even closures of agencies and nursing homes.

Demand Grows to End Fiscal Guardrails

 

For years, legislation to meet urgent needs of public education, health care and housing have been denied by the state legislature and Governor on the basis of artifically established “fiscal guardrails” that place protected funds off-limits.

This week two legal memos question the constitutionality of these “fiscal guardrails,” even as economic and racial inequities increase and attacks from the Trump administration put federal funding into question.

The memos released by Yale Law School’s Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy Clinic (WIRAC) validate the real-world harm caused, and confirm that the “fiscal guardrail” restrictions are also constitutionally unsound.

Their finding is that years of disinvestment were not only damaging but unnecessary and unjustified.

“The power granted to me and my colleagues by our constituents is considerably hampered by the restraints of our fiscal guardrails,” said State Rep. Josh Elliott. “Elected officials must be able to exercise decision making authority that current times call for, without the self imposed burden of an unconstitutional bond lock”

The crisis for public education is so severe that a civil disobedience sit in in front of the Governor's office denanded release of funds for under funded school districts so that all students, including Black and brown students, can have a world class education.

“This week I joined nine other teachers, students and community members who were arrested at the Capitol to escalate our concerns about the fiscal roadblocks,” said Leslie Blatteau, New Haven Federation of Teachers President, “Now to see that these arbitrary constraints aren’t even operational or constitutional, is an insult to every parent, student and community member who has been told, we don't have the money.” 

“The effect of years of underinvestment in public education and other critical public services will be felt in our communities for generations,” said Maya Shepard, Executive Director of Hearing Youth Voices, “Students in New London and other towns across the state, have missed out from the benefits of fully funded schools: adequately staffed classrooms, arts and sports and safe buildings – all in the name of “protecting” these unconstitutional roadblocks.”

Machinists Win New Contract After Three Week Strike

 

by Joelle Fishman

EAST HARTFORD, CONN. – The spirit on the picket line remained strong for all 23 days of the strike by members of IAM Locals 1743 at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford and 700 in Middletown. “I am very proud of the strength and resolve of our members. I am very proud of the strength and resolve that everyone has shown on the line,” said 1746 president Wayne McCarthy.

This strength and unity of the workers combined with widespread solidarity from the state labor movement, local communities and elected officials at all levels brought the billionaire Pratt & Whitney / RTX corporation back to the bargaining table with an improved offer addressing some of the major concerns.

Their profits, in the billions, and last quarter were 41% higher than last year.

At the Oakdale Theater copies of the proposed agreement were available for members to review. The negotiating committee recommended that the workers accept. By a vote of 1608 to 562 the new contract was ratified with 74% of the vote.

Significant gains were made from TRX, Partt & Whitney's parent company, which has opened a new plant in North Carolina that is not unionized. The contract secures that the jobs in Connecticut will stay here in the company's home state throught the life of the contract in 2029.

“We held strong and we got adjustments made to the areas we were most concerned about. Overall sticking together got us to a better place than where we were,” said Michael Lamourex, chair of Local 700 strike committee.

“The big one for us was job security. They didn't talk at all about job security in the last proposal. In this one they are talking about keeping work in Middletown and East Hartford and their plans to expand. We got an extra year in the pension and an increase to the people in the 401K plan. The general wage increase was moved from 4% to 6:% in the first year.”

Wage increases in the next three years are 3.5% (2026), 3% (2027), and 3% (2028)..

Increased employer contributions to retirement were also secured.

“Our committee worked tirelessly to ensure our members’ priorities were heard, and this agreement is a direct result of that determination,” said IAM Union District 26 Directing Business Representative Jeff Santini. “We are proud of what was achieved at the table and even prouder of the solidarity shown by our membership throughout this process.”

“Pratt & Whitney is a leader in the aerospace industry because of the dedication and skill of our members,” said IAM Union Eastern Territory General Vice President David Sullivan. “The voice of the membership was heard loud and clear — and this new agreement reflects the value they bring to Pratt & Whitney. I commend this committee for reflecting the will of the membership.”

“Our members stood together with strength and resolve,” said IAM Local 700 President Wayne McCarthy. “This agreement includes real gains for our members and proves what we can accomplish when we stick together.”

“We went into these negotiations with clear goals, and thanks to the support and unity of our membership, we’ve delivered results,” said IAM Local 1746 President Howie Huestis. “This contract puts our members in a stronger position for the future, and we’re proud of the work that went into making it happen.”

Pratt & Whitney agreed to come back to the bargaining table immediately after 2300 Marine Draftsmen at Electric Boat represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 571won a new contract proposal, dramatically offered minutes before their strike deadline. The recommendation of the union bargaining committee to accept was ratified this week including at 30% pay raise over the five year contract among other gains.

Throughout their strike, the IAM workers understood that what they would be able to win would raise the starard for all workers in Connecticut and nationally.

IAM (International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) represents 600,000 active and retired members in the aerospace, shipbuilding, railroad, transit, healthcare, automotive industries across the United States and Canada.

Educators and Advocates Hold Sit-in to Demand Governor fund Students' Futures

 

A sit-in and civil disobedience at the office of Governor Ned Lamont capped off a week of action for a Peoples Budget organized with Connecticut for All. Pressure is high as the legislative session nears an end, and many cities and families face economic crisis. Calls continue in support of ending fiscal roadblocks to fully fund public schools and other people's needs, especially given the uncertainty of federal funding cuts.

The civil disobedience by teachers and students reflected the large public hearings where hundreds of students from around the state testified about shortfalls in their schools and insisted that their right to fully staffed schools in safe buildings be fulfilled. The leadersship of high school students seeking a susainable future has inspired elected officials and the community alike.

The sit-in drew attention to the learning crisis faced by students in under-resourced school districts and the demand that more robust and equitable investments be made in Connecticut’s neighborhood and magnet schools..

Leaders of AFT Connecticut formally requested a funding package that would go a long way toward resolving Connecticut’s student learning crisis. They are seeking an increase to the Education Cost Sharing (ECS) foundation amount and adoption of a 50% weight for special education in its formula.

In a letter addressed to Governor Lamont, 24 teacher union leaders from around the state said educators are “doing more with less – addressing learning gaps, mental health needs and increased demands in classrooms without the essential resources to match.”

“Sustainable funding for Pre K-12 education is possible,” said the teachers. “We can achieve that by adjusting the budgetary roadblocks to ensure that necessary resources make it to the communities that need them. Now is the time for us to commit to the promise of public education for our current and future students. In one of the richest states in the richest country in the history of the world, we must deliver the education our students deserve. By increasing the ECS foundation and prioritizing special education, you can move Connecticut decisively toward a fairer approach that reflects our shared commitment to educational opportunity for all.”

Gov. Lamont, stand with working mothers: Pass striking workers bill for a stronger Connecticut

By Carla Vallati

Room attendant at the Omni New Haven Hotel and Local 217 Unite Here shop steward

I love my job. I do everything for the guests, and you would think I would be the last person to want to go on strike. But that’s how bad it got last year during our contract negotiations at the Omni New Haven Hotel at Yale.

Last September, my coworkers and I went on strike, and with our victory we created a new standard for hospitality jobs in New Haven. Unions and victories like ours are the most effective way to expand the middle class in Connecticut. In a moment of historic inequality and a growing sense that so much is rigged for the ultra-wealthy, elected leaders must do much more to support working people. Even as the federal government executes an assault on working people and our rights, Gov. Ned Lamont has the power to ensure that working people have economic security. One vital step that he and Connecticut’s General Assembly must take this legislative session is passing the striking workers bill.

Our struggle shows how strikes can expand the middle class by securing fair deals from billionaires. The Omni was refusing to give us raises that keep up with the cost of living in New Haven. My parents lived in New Haven, I live in New Haven, and now my kids and grandkids live in New Haven. Like most working people who live here, I worry about being priced out of the city. For me, winning a living wage means having the freedom to stay close to my family and community.

My coworkers showed significant courage by going out on strike, but it was terrifying for all of us. Yes, we wanted to fight for what we deserve, but we all had bills to pay. We were all thinking in the back of our minds: how long can we afford this? It’s not fair that working people take such a loss just because we want to fight for our rights, while our employer can sit back with $5 billion in wealth.

Thanks to my new contract, I can help buy things for my new grandbaby’s baby shower. I can start putting a little bit away into savings. But what if we had to go out for a long time? The striking workers bill would have protected me and my coworkers from debt and evictions. It also would have encouraged the Omni to stay at the table and avoid a strike altogether. No one decides to go on strike lightly – no employer should force workers out on strike lightly, either.

All over New Haven, hotel workers are organizing to make our jobs better. My daughter Julia was a bartender at the Old Heidelberg bar during the Graduate Hotel’s union drive, and after they won their union, other hotels raised their wages, too. My other daughter, Charlé, got a job as a housekeeper at the Cambria Hotel. She signed many of her coworkers on union cards, and they won a union there, too. 

New union drives like the ones my daughters organized could become next to impossible in a Trump administration. The federal government is taking aim at the National Labor Relations Board, a 90-year-old agency protecting workers' rights to organize and bargain collectively. Contract negotiations will become more unequal if the NLRB puts fewer restraints on billionaire companies who want to destroy their unions. And we are all facing the threat of a recession. In the face of all these threats, the striking workers bill is the best thing our state can do to protect workers if we need to exercise one of our most basic labor rights: the right to strike.

The striking workers bill makes the choice clear for Governor Lamont: he can stand up for working people and expand the middle class or he can go along with the billionaire attacks on the rest of us. 

Governor Lamont said on the picket line that hotel workers like me “took some real hits during COVID just like the hotels did. They flattened their wages, now give them a chance to catch up.” We caught up, thanks to our strong union. Now he and the General Assembly must pass the striking workers bill to help other workers catch up, too.

From the Picket Line: IAM Says No to Corporate Greed

by Joelle Fishman

It takes a lot of courage to stand up against corporate greed when the company refuses to bargain for a decent contract.

The 3,000 machinists at Pratt & Whitney said “enough is enough” when the parent company RTX declined to strengthen job security language while expanding a new non-union facility in North Carolina.

The machinists refused to give in on weakened pensions and health care coverage and wages that didn't keep up with inflation while the billion dollar corporation's profits soared. In the first quarter of 2025 they reported $580 million in profits up 41% from last year.

That “last, best and final offer” from the company forced the machinists onto the strike line for their future and the future of their families, the whole community and workers everywhere. Since the May 4 overwhelming vote by the members of IAM Locals 1726 and 700 the company has refused to come back to the bargaining table.

The picket line has been solid. Solidarity has poured forth from workers in other unions – nurses, draftsmen, food service workers, teachers, nursing home workers – led by the entire Connecticut AFL-CIO. Nursing home and group home workers in 1199 came to the picket line after giving strike notice for 6,000 workers on May 26 as they call upon the state to guarantee funding.

The national president and officers of IAM came to show the support of the etire union across the country. “This company would not be here if it wasn’t for the IAM and our members. It’s high time this company realizes that!” declared president Brian Bryant.

State and local elected officials and members of Congress gave their support. “When you win for you and your families, you are going to win for working families all across this country,” said US Senator Chris Murphy on the picket line in Middletown.

A video message of international solidarity came from aerospace workers at Embraer in Brazil which collaborates with RTX. “We might be thousand miles apart, but your fight is our fight too,” said Herbert Claros. “Stay strong, stay united and know that you have our full support down here in Brazil.”

When health care coverage was set to expire after two weeks, Access Connecticut offered to the workers that they speak directly with their staff to get help enrolling in the state health insurance and learn about coverage options and financial assistance, saying”We're here to help you stay covered.” 

 

Contributions began coming in to the strike fund and food pantry. The strike stayed firm at the state's second largest industrial employer.

As the strike entered its third week, 2500 UAW Marine Draftsmen at Electric Boat, the state's largest industrial employer, were set to go out on strike. That week they had come to the IAM picket line to show solidarity. Electric Boat saw that strength. At the 11^th hour the company brought the union a better offer and the UAW negotiating team recommended approval of the new contract.

The very next morning, Pratt & Whitney finally agreed to come back to the bargaining table later in the week. They are meeting as we go to press, a testament to the strength of the Pratt workers and their determination to stay on the picket lines and get a fair deal.

There is something powerful about walking the picket line with striking workers and sharing stories.

In East Hartford at the Silver Lane entrance, shop steward Mike Oziomek used his bull horn to say to passing cars, “We are fighting to keep Pratt & Whitney jobs here in Connecticut. Thank you for your support!”

He told the People's World “We are on strike on day 14 against corporate greed RTX.  Last quarter RTX made $150 billion and this year they fired 300 salary employees. Now that’s the corporate greed right there. Help support us on our strike against corporate greed.  Give us a fair contract and we will go back to work.”

In Middletown on Saturday, strike picket captain Pete Caruso used the bullhorn to share important news. “Alright, listen up! You can now get on the state's health insurance. Don't forget to go down to the union hall and get those healthcare forms filled out, guys.”

Asked about his experience during the strike, Tom Kaweski with six years seniority emphasized the strong bonds among union members. “Day and night, morning, noon, and night, we're together,” he explained. “Our unity keeps us upbeat and positive, no matter the time.”

While the workers are assigned two four-hour shifts a week, many come every day. A strong kitchen committee within the union actively supprots the strike by keeping the picket line stocked with food, coffee and water.

“I was already scheduled to retire in August,” said one woman. “I'm here because the union has made everything possible for me. I am able to help my whole family with the wages and benefits we have won in the union, and I want to make sure they are there for the next generation.”

The strike has increased pressure on the state legislature to pass SB 8 Unemployment Insurance for striking workers, which could be a deterrent to companies refusing to bargain in good faith.

Solidarity grows as Machinists strike Pratt & Whitney

 

Three thousand machinists on strike at Pratt & Whitney are holding firm in their second week on the picket line against the billionaire aerospace corporation. IAM Locals 700 in Middletown and 1746 in East Hartford are on the picket line 24-hours a day, seven days a week.

Bryan Briant, national International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) president, said it all when he visited the East Hartford picket in the pouring rain. “How long are we willing to fight? Forever!” The workers boomed back, “Forever.”

While the company, now owned by TRX, claims to have made a great offer, the workers, who produce jet engines, voted to go on strike because the company failed to put significant job security, pensions, health care or wages that keep up with inflation on the table.

Emboldened by the union busting Trump administration, the company says they will continue operations during the strike, with no announced plans to come back to the bargaining table.

Following a merger in 2020, Pratt & Whitney is a subsidiary of the profitable RTX corporation. In 2023 RTX opened a new Pratt & Whitney turbine airfoil production plant in Ashville North Carolina which is not unionized.

“To take our work and go there,” Howie Huestis, President of IAM Local 1746. said as the strike began. “They just announced another $285 million that they are buying more machinery down there. I got 800 members that they could take their work.”

While the company says they are committed to maintaining facilities in Connecticut, they did not agree to expand existing job protections language. “We need job security, and we need it NOW,” said a post from the picket line by the union.

During his visit to the picket lines in East Hartford and Middletown, president Briant called on the company to negotiate a fair contract.

“Pratt & Whitney, get back to the table, give our members a fair contract. A fair contract that not only they have earned but they deserve,” he said.

“The machinists union isn’t asking for much. They’re asking for exactly what they deserve,” Connecticut AFL CIO president Ed Hawthorn told the workers. “Pratt & Whitney has the money. Their profits are in the billions, and their profits last quarter were 41% higher than they were last year,” he said.

The Connecticut AFL CIO jumped in immediately to alert union members across the state that their sisters and brothers in East Hartford and Middletown were on strike. The solidarity keeps growing with picket line support from many unions including AFSCME, communications workers, teachers and retirees.

A delegation from marine draftsmen UAW Local 571 came, taking time from their own negotiations with Electric Boat as their May 19 strike deadline looms.

Solidarity has also come from the surrounding communities. People in town have contributed food and have shown support by beeping their horns as they go by. Some even make it a point to circle around and do it again, reported one East Hartford resident.

The picket line is also a center of organizing as the state legislature nears the end of session. The number one priority for the labor movement is passage of SB 8 to allow unemployment insurance for workers on strike after two weeks.

When Governor Lamont, who vetoed the unemployment insurance for striking workers bill last year, visited the picket line he was met with a sea of “Pass SB 8” stickers. SB 8 is seen as a factor that could convince corporations to bargain in good faith rather than force a strike.

Many elected officials have come and walked the picket line in solidarity including state legislators, local officials and the entire Congressional delegation.

US Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a co-sponsor of the PRO Act that aims to strengthen workers' right to unionize and collectively bargain for better wages, working conditions and job security, told the workers in East Hartford and in Middletown that their strike is of national importance saying “ What is at stake here is the strength of our unions and our working people all around the country. Pratt – you can afford to treat your workers fairly.”

The machinists at Pratt & Whitney took into account the huge profits they have generated for the company and the refusal of the company to meet the workers' needs. They voted to strike saying “enough is enough” to corporate greed as workers across the country are standing up for dignity and respect.

“It is absolutely shameful — shameful — that Pratt & Whitney has chosen to put all of you out on the street,” said IAM President Brian Bryant. “It’s not because of our membership that works with Pratt & Whitney. It’s because of this corporation trying to take advantage of its workers and the hard work they do and the products they build for this company.”

The last two strikes were in 1985 and 2001. Each lasted two weeks. The 24-hour picket lines are at 1 Aircraft Road in Middletown and at Five locations in East Hartford: Silver Lane, Willow St, Brewer St, Enson St and the IAM 1746 union hall.

Demand to state leaders: “Which side are you on?”

 

“Which side are you on?” is the message to the Governor and State Legislature as the session nears its end on June 4. Hundreds of workers, tenants, immigrants, students, healthcare workers and teachers have testified, called and raised their voices for crucial bills important to working class communities in hard times.

Lobby days and rallies to support SB 8 to allow striking workers to receive unemployment insurance, strengthening the Trust Act to protect immigrant rights, expansion of healthcare for immigrant youth, and HB 6889 for just cause eviction protections are filling the Capitol. Demands to lower fiscal guardrails to fund public education and other needs have been taken up by high school students around the state, initiated by the Connecticut for All coalition.

Supporters of Just Cause Eviction Protection rallied at the State Capitol, calling on the House leadership to bring the bill up for a vote. HB 6889 has 57 cosponsors in the General Assembly.

Josefina Cruz, a tenant in Waterbury who has lived in her home for seven years, recently received a notice of nonrenewal, along with many of her neighbors. Although she followed her lease and paid her rent on time, she is now facing imminent no-fault eviction. Currently, she has no legal protection.

HB 6889 would change that. At Wednesday’s rally, members of the coalition expressed the urgency felt by tenants like Josefina by handing out “eviction notices” throughout the Capitol, representing Connecticut tenants who are actively facing no-fault evictions and who would be protected by this bill if House Democrats acted on it this session.

More rallies and town hall meetings are underway, with coaltiions supporting each others' interconnected issues. If these bills are not called for a vote in the House and Senate and signed into law by the Governor, Connecticut working class communities will be left to fend for housing, healthcare, education in a deepening crisis as the Trump administration guts critical p;rograms and gives more breaks to billionaires. The question to the legislature and governor is simple: “Which side are you on?”

Why I Protest

by Jahmal Henderson

On April 5th, as millions across the country mobilized at state capitols and congressional offices to make their voices heard against Trump and his administration, some Black influencers on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram were delivering a different message, both hilariously and seriously, urging Black Americans to stay home for our own safety. 

This left me feeling conflicted. Isn’t unity essential in times of oppression? I wondered. The day of the rallies, I ran into a friend who asked if I planned to attend the local rally in our city. I said yes, but her response caught me off guard. 'I’m not marching,' she said. 'I’m tired of fighting for everyone, only for no one to fight for us—including our own community. Too often, Black people put our lives, energy, and time on the line, only to be met with a lack of respect.' Her words stayed with me, adding another layer to my thoughts about unity and the burdens placed on Black people in the fight for justice. 

I thought to myself, this is yet another example of Trump and MAGA leveraging Black influencers and popular podcasts to spread disinformation among Black Americans through false and misleading narratives. 

The real danger lies in the constant repetition of such misinformation, no matter how absurd it may seem, which can still be effective across all income, education, and class levels. 

I explained to my friend that the information being shared wasn’t accurate. Trump’s policies include significant rollbacks in regulatory protections, cuts to social welfare programs, the dismantling of the federal civil service workforce, and the elimination of any focus on equity. 

Additionally, I explained that Trump’s policies will have a direct impact on neighborhoods like ours, with the ongoing militarization of law enforcement, the expansion of mass incarceration laws, and the dismantling of essential systems such as education, healthcare, and economic programs that support low-income families. That’s exactly why I’m choosing to participate. 

We went our separate ways, but as I headed down to the New Haven Green, I noticed many Black individuals making their way to the rally, some holding signs that reassured me I was in the right place, standing up for myself and my community. Among the crowd, I spotted familiar faces, including a neighbor and a few co-workers, which further strengthened my resolve. 

As I took in the sight of thousands of diverse people gathered together, I reflected on the collective energy and thought about the March on Washington. That historic event symbolized an era’s fight for freedom, equal opportunity, and social justice. It reminded me of the social inequalities that have driven Americans to protest, march, and demonstrate throughout history, expressing their frustration with the status quo and their desire for change. 

The unity of races coming together, with some even sacrificing their lives, has been essential in the fight for true equality in this country. From battling to end Jim Crow laws in the South to securing the right to vote for African Americans, many of these victories were achieved through the collective efforts of Black and White allies. The Freedom Riders of 1964, along with SNCC and CORE members, exemplified this unity. These Black and White students led pivotal campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement in the early 1960s, including sit-ins, Freedom Rides, voter registration drives, and the historic March on Washington.

Seeing these issues remain top priorities for voters and people of color today, it’s clear that protests continues to hold relevance in the United States. It’s my hope that we will one day look back at the 'Hands Off' rallies of 2025 as a pivotal moment in American politics, a time when the power of diverse voices marching and protesting will make a lasting impact on the ongoing fight for equality and true progress.

May Day Rally Builds Solidarity to Organize

 

“We are Many, They are Few – Stop the Billionaire Coup” was the theme of the annual People's World International Workers Day rally, flowing from the May Day marches in Connecticut. Leslie Blatteau president of the teachers union where the event was held and Rev Scott Marks together with high school student leaders of the march welcomed the packed hall.

This May Day is a crucial fight for our lives and future against powerful billionaires, said emcee Jahmal Henderson, expressed support for IAM, UAW, 1199 and Teamsters workers who have authorized strikes, and solidarity against deportations.

“May Day Around the World” slideshow narrated by members of the YCL showed in photos how workers in every country are demonstrating and organizing against the greed and control of global capital including the Hands Off mobilizations acrouss the US and in other countries. Unprecendented May Day marches on every continent, across the US and in Connecticut were highlighted.

Singing, clapping hands and stomping feet filled the room as Scotticesa Marks Miller performed Change is Gonna Come and led the civil rights song “Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around.”

Immigrant rights activist Teresa Quintana shared a beautiful Bolivian song while playing guitar. Brian Jarawa Gray wripped up the resistance songs with “the beat goes on” African drumming.

A People's World e-book published on the 40^th anniversary of the clerical and technical workers union at Yale, Unite Here Local 34 was rolled out featuring stories in People's World from 1984 to 2024 and presented by union leader and Alder Adam Marchand along with Local 34 retiree and chair of the Art Perlo Yale Workers Club Mary Thigpen.

May Day demands included support for SB 8 to allow unemployment insurance to striking workers, and the CPUSA Rapid Response calls to Congress, highlighting that week's “Test Case for Democracy “ for the immediate release and due process for Kilmar Abrageo Garcia.

A spirit of unity and hope filled the air as the rally drew to a close with chants led by the May Day march organizers.