News

Biden forgives student loans for an additional 78,000 public service workers

AFSCME President Lee Saunders praised the White House’s announcement Thursday that the Biden administration will forgive student loans for an additional 78,000 borrowers — including many AFSCME mem

Member Action Spurs Executive Order on Workers Comp Coverage

It did not take long for the COVID-19 crisis to hit home for Ginny Ligi, an eight-year correction officer at the Cheshire Correctional Institution. In early April, she tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“The virus literally knocked me off my feet for three weeks,” said Ligi, the union secretary for AFSCME Local 387 (NP-4 Corrections Bargaining Unit). “It was like I had vertigo on top of not being able to breathe well.”

California’s child care providers win historic union election in landslide

LOS ANGELES – In a union election victory 17 years in the making, child care providers across California have voted overwhelmingly to be represented by their union, Child Care Providers United (CCPU). A joint effort of UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 and SEIU Locals 99 and 521, 97% of voters chose to join CCPU.

Rep. Jahana Hayes Joins Council 4 In Calling For State, Local Aid

Heroes Act

With the coronavirus pandemic continuing to devastate the nation’s physical and fiscal health, U.S. Rep Jahana Hayes (CT-5) took time out to urge Council 4 members to make their voices heard in the fierce political battle to approve massive federal aid for states, cities and towns.

Speaking to Council 4’s biweekly Presidents Plus 1 meeting on Zoom earlier this month,  Hayes emphasized the importance of getting the HEROES Act, which passed the House in April, to clear the Senate.

Pelosi joins AFSCME in calling for state, local aid amid soaring virus cases

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday joined AFSCME President Lee Saunders and front-line public service workers from states experiencing surges in coronavirus cases to urge the Senate to approve at least $1 trillion in flexible aid to states, cities and towns.

Local 3429 Members To Represent Union At AFSCME Virtual Convention

Nominations/Election Update

Union Secretary Cheryl Alexander will join Union President Hyclis Williams as Local 3429's delegates to the upcoming AFSCME virtual convention.

Sister Alexander was nominated by email ahead of our scheduled vote.  She ran unopposed, so there is no need for an at-large election.

For the first time in our national union’s history, AFSCME will hold its biennial convention entirely online due to the coronavirus pandemic.

AFSCME Local 3429 Members Ratify New Contract

On June 25, 2020, AFSCME Local 3429 members voted 2-to-1 in favor of a tentative collective bargaining agreement agreement. The contract, which also requires the approval of the New Haven Board of Education, runs retroactively from July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023.

The Board of Education was scheduled to vote on the contract at their July 13 meeting, but tabled the action until their July 27 meeting.

Local 3429 Members Tell Board of Education: "Honor Our Jobs"

"Think About The Paras"

The emphasis was on dignity, respect and student impact as AFSCME Local 3429 members turned out for what proved to be the last in-person meeting of the New Haven Board of Education prior to the COVID-19 shutdown.

Several paraprofessionals spoke out, including bargaining unit President Hyclis Williams and Vice President Minnie Evans, and 50-year veteran Lucille Patton.

Council 4 Unplugged Podcast: #Savethe600

Click here for our latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast. 

On this episode, recorded Aug. 12, 2020, Michele Evermore of the National Employment Law Project and Xavier Gordon of AFSCME Local 269, representing the CT Department of Labor, join us to discuss the struggles facing unemployed workers and the political fight over unemployment insurance benefits.