Standing Up for Good Jobs in New Haven

A cross-section of the New Haven community turned out June 24 to support Council 4 AFSCME members in their campaign to stop the DeStefano administration’s efforts to privatize public services. 

Representatives from the Board of Alderman, the New Haven Citizen Action Network and the New Haven Central Labor Council will participate today at a 12 noon press conference at the intersection of Lyon and Olive Streets, the site of one of eight “Privatization Equals Corruption” billboards purchased by Council 4 and designed to draw the public’s attention to the perils of selling off city services. 

“Privatization hurts workers and exposes taxpayers to risks they never bargained for,” said Kevin Murphy, Council 4’s Director of Collective Bargaining and Organizing. “That was demonstrated during the Aramark debacle. Privatization harms the community and the workforce.” 

The DeStefano administration is pursuing ways to privatize public services, most recently by soliciting bids for school custodial and maintenance work at the same time members of AFSCME Local 287 are at the table trying to reach an agreement fair to all sides. Privatization is also an issue for several other bargaining units in New Haven. 

“We’re putting the DeStefano administration on notice that we will fight the destruction of good jobs in New Haven,” said Robert Proto, President of the Greater New Haven Central Labor Council. 

Council 4 purchased space on 8 billboards, which measure 12 feet by 25 feet. The boards cost $3,000 and will be up for the next few weeks.