No Kings – No Billionaires Massive CT Turnout

Thousands in Connecticut turned out at 50 No Kings rallies across the state on October 18. From 12,000 in Hartford to several thousands in New Haven, Stamford, Westport, Guilford, Glastonbury, New London, and many smaller towns, a collective voice gave hope.

Speakers from Indivisible, unions, civil liberties, immigrant rights and elected officials urged continued action to block the cruel policies of MAGA / Trump and emphasized the need to get out the vote.

In New Haven, Unite Here leader Rev Scott Marks made a ringing call for solidarity to stop the attacks and move forward for economic and social justice. Leslie Blatteau New Haven Federation of Teachers president drew from the lessons of the African American civil rights movement.

In Hartford, SEIU and AFT members and CT Students for a Dream marched to the Capitol with postcards to the Governor demanding spending priorities for the people not billionaires, in support of immigrant families and protecting the social safety net They joined a massive and peaceful crowd.

In New London, Ed Hawthorne, CT AFL-CIO president, said unions are the answer to the war on workers. Pointing to the dockyard across the Thames River, Hawthorne congratulated the UAW for standing up to Electric Boat, being ready to strike, and winning historic wage increases. This “bottom up” organizing was the way to build a better society.

3,000 people rallied under the Soldiers and Sailors Monument to tell Trump he is not a king, and say no to dictatorship and war. They want peace, democracy, and human rights. As the square filled, people stood across the street and high above in the parking garage.

Hung between two street lamps, a banner read “WE THE PEOPLE!” A young student read the Declaration of Independence citing the invasion of our cities, the lawless and violent attacks on our immigrant communities to say Donald Trump is more lawless than King George.

Rep. Courtney and Sen. Blumenthal decried Trump's reckless attacks on democracy. The audience thundered with applause when Blumenthal said he would hold the line to defend healthcare.  More than ever, it was important to remain united.

Food Service Workers Win a New Contract

 

Foodservice workers at Southern Connecticut State University and Central Connecticut are celebrating a major win after successfully ratifying a new union contract with Sodexo. The agreement, reached after intense negotiations, delivers substantial improvements in wages, benefits, and job protections.

Over the four-year life of the contract, workers will receive a total of $8.18 in wage increases. In addition to the pay bump, the deal includes access to union-sponsored health insurance, an upgraded dental plan, a pension, and strengthened job security provisions, marking a significant step forward for the campus’s foodservice team.

The path to this agreement wasn’t easy. Bargaining began early in the day and stretched late into the night, finally concluding around 2 a.m. when Southern and Central union stewards and representatives from Local 217 UNITE HERE reached a formal agreement with Sodexo’s leadership. The new contract sets the tone for labor relations at Southern for the next four years.

This is a historic victory for the Southern workers," said Steward Nicholas McDonald. "We faced down Sodexo and proved we won't back down, we fought for our dignity and respect and we won better wages and benefits for our future.”

This hard-fought victory is resonating beyond Southern’s campus. Foodservice workers at Western Connecticut State University, who are currently in their own contract talks with Sodexo, are drawing inspiration and momentum from Southern’s success. The newly ratified agreement signals that meaningful gains are within reach for other unionized Sodexo employees across the state.

Local 217 UNITE HERE praised the determination and solidarity of Southern’s workers, emphasizing that their persistence helped secure a contract that reflects their value and contributions to campus life. As negotiations continue at other Connecticut state universities, Southern’s breakthrough stands as a powerful example of what collective action can achieve.

Tenants Uphold Right to Organize at Sunset Ridge

 

New Haven, CT — Tenants from the Sunset Ridge Apartments spoke out at a press conference urging their corporate landlord, Capital Realty Group (CRG), to cease union-busting and intimidation tactics at the sprawling, 312-unit complex.

The Sunset Ridge Apartments are home to hundreds of New Haven residents, mostly workers not earning enough in wages to afford market-rate rentals. The complex is designated as low-income housing tax-credit property (LIHTC), so most tenants pay a slightly below-market rent but do not benefit from income-based rent subsidies.

April, who has lived in the complex for 21 years, took the mic to recall how beautiful it was when she first moved in, kid friendly and well maintained. Never was there a mouse or roach problem, she said, until five years ago when Capital took over. Now, pests are out of control. When her 93 year-old mother's apartment flooded repeatedly. Capital told her to move.

"Their answer to fix something is just move. At 93 years." exclaimed CT Tenants Union organizer Luke Melonakos.

Juan said his rent has kept going up, but repairs like replacing a carpet in bad condition, are not taken care of. “If they raise the rent they've got to fix it.” he declared.

Along with community allies, New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker stood in solidarity with the tenants seeking to organize a union, sending a message to Capital Realty Group that the right to organize is fundamental and in New Haven, it is still respected! In 2022 New Haven was the first city in Connecticut to adopt an ordinance establishing a process to recognize tenant unions.

Issues uniting the tenants include mice and roach infestations; widespread mold; water leaks and sewage problems; heat/hot water outages; repeated false claims of owed rent; and predatory towing without notice.

Like the recently organized union at Park Ridge Apartments, also owned by Capital Realty Group, some tenants receive rapid repairs while others are left for weeks or months with unsafe conditions. 

In escalating attempts to stop tenants from unionizing. Capitol Realty Group staff have: called the police on tenants speaking with their neighbors about forming a union. They have accused union organizers of “being with ICE” and blamed the widespread pest infestations on “tenants being dirty”. Two CT Tenants Union representatives visiting residents were served “no trespass notices” among many other acts of intimidation.

While banning CTTU organizers and journalists from speaking with the residents and creating an environment of surveillance and intimidation to discourage tenants from speaking with each other, Capital Realty Group has openly supported, encouraged, and funded (including a bouncy house and large meal) a so-called “Sunset Ridge Tenant Union.” This “tenant union” is run by an un-elected board that includes at least one confirmed CRG employee.

This attempt by a corporate landlord to establish a “company tenant union,” is from the playbook of corporate tactics used to bust labor unions and prevent workers from forming their own organization.

Despite the environment of intense repression, Sunset Ridge tenants are fighting back. They seek to join the nationwide movement of tenant unionization at CRG-owned properties in their fight for dignified housing. Renters in Detroit, Kansas City, Billings, and Louisville, and across town in New Haven, have already formed majority unions and are pushing for a bargaining process with the principles of CRG—Moshe Eichler and Sam Horowitz—over the deteriorating conditions of their homes.

Hannah Srajer, president of the tenants union, repeated that Capital Realty sends one message to tenants: Dont get together to solve your problems. She said very soon the union would enter its next organizing stage: Tenants getting their neighbors to sign union cards. "We support the drive until we go all the way. This will be the 8th union across country."

Peter Fousek, secretary treasurer of the union explained why we were out here.

“We are here,” said Peter Fousek, Secretary treasure of the union, “because tenants have to have one, two or three jobs, and work 70 hours per week to pay their rent, yet suffer health threats in their apartments.”

Despite the mice and roach problems the rent keeps going up. “We are here, he said, “to celebrate tenants fighting.”

When tenant union leaders met with the owner Moshe Eichler., he welcomed tenants negotiations and agreed to no retaliation to union tenant union organizers.

“He forgot what he promisedm” said Fousek. “We are here to remind him what he said. That means not following tenants. Not telling tenants who they can bring into their apartments, their friends, neighbors, or the press. Freedom of speech means we can talk. We are ready to take Eichler up on his offer for good faith negotiations.”

Faith, Labor and Community March Demands Immigrant Protections

 

[Hundreds of faith leaders and people of conscience marched from the Federal Building to the north side of the State Capitol on October 5 to demand Governor Lamont and state legislators call a special session and protect immigrant community members from the violence of ICE.

Organized by the Greater Hartford Immigration Action Alliance (GHIAA), they called for “safeguarding personal data, ensuring courthouse access, preventing indirect ICE support, and maintaining HUSKY coverage for all by ensuring that surplus revenue be invested in communities and not sent away as debt payments to Wall Street”

“ This is not the moment for our leaders to be silent. This is not the moment for our leaders to keep their heads down.” said Rev. Josh Pawelek, a member of the Unitarian Universalist Society East, CT for All, and the GHIAA Strategy Team..

“This is the moment for speaking truth to power. There are common sense policies ready to go that would make a meaningful difference in the safety of Connecticut’s immigrant communities, and we call on our leaders to pass them in a special session this fall,”

Kevin, a member of Make the Road CT emphasized that “Without medical coverage, my health could get worse — for me, this truly is the difference between life and death. Like many immigrants, I came here looking for a better future, and now I’m just fighting to stay alive and healthy.”

“Many essential workers are immigrants who came here seeking the same thing all of us want—a chance to work hard and live with dignity,” said Rochelle Palache, Vice President of 32BJ Connecticut, “These workers clean our schools, guard our buildings, and keep our communities running. It’s unconscionable that those who give so much to our state are treated as disposable. Protecting them isn’t just an act of compassion—it’s an act of justice.”

Demand for Special Session: Use $2 Billion Surplus for Human Needs

 

The demand for a special session of the state legislature in October grew on October 1 as union, faith and community leaders, joined by elected officials, spoke out at a press conference at the state capitol urging action be taken to invest the state's $2 billion surplus in human needs and to advance immigration protections.

Organized by Connecticut for All, the advocates stated. “As even more chaos and uncertainty unravels at the federal level, Connecticut’s elected officials have a choice.” calling on legislators to “ face this chaos boldly and timely, with a cohesive strategy that protects Connecticut's most vulnerable residents through protective policies and broad investment that leverages the billions found since June to safeguard communities.”

 

“Without urgent action, the advocates said, Connecticut families will face devastating consequences now: hundreds of thousands could lose health coverage or food assistance, school districts could see millions in federal education cuts, and higher education would become even less accessible as loan and grant restrictions take hold. “

“At the same time, healthcare costs for middle income families will continue to skyrocket, while wealthy donors benefit from private school voucher schemes that siphon public dollars away from our schools. By investing state resources directly into healthcare, child care, housing, and education legislators can shield our communities from these harmful federal rollbacks and ensure Connecticut families are not left behind.”