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

Members turn out in force supporting pandemic pay

More than a dozen Council 4 AFSCME members recently joined hundreds of frontline workers and supporters to urge legislators to provide pandemic hazard pay to essential employees.

SEBAC Update: All Local Bargaining Tables Reach Tentative Agreements

All 35 Local Bargaining Tables Reach Tentative Agreements;
Next Step: Ratification Votes

March 8, 2022--After over a year of negotiations with the Lamont Administration at both the coalition and local union levels, – including “outside employers” like the Judicial Branch, Higher Ed, Criminal Justice and the Public Defenders –  local unions at all 35 bargaining tables in the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) have reached tentative agreements that will proudly be reported to members in their entirety. 

Union Members Call for Investment in Public Services to Bridge Racial & Economic Gap in Connecticut

State employees and union leaders spoke out during a virtual press conference March 1 demanding government investment in public services to help bridge the racial and economic gap in Connecticut.

The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) gathered employees from various state agencies, union leaders and state legislators to call on Gov. Ned Lamont and legislative leaders of both parties to publicly commit to protecting and expanding — not shrinking and privatizing — state services.

Saunders praises nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court

Today, following President Joe Biden’s nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the United States Supreme Court, AFSCME President Lee Saunders issued a statement praising the historic selection.

Child care providers were there for us. Congress must act to support them

Child care providers were there for us. Congress must act to support them

Ana María Santiago (Photo credit: UDWA)

Council 4 Leaders Reflect on Black History Month In Latest Podcast

The latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast, recorded for February 2022, examines the significance of Black History Month and the challenges facing the labor and civil rights movements. Our guests are Council 4 Civil Rights Committee Co-Chair Harold Brooks (Local 3144), and Committee members Patricia Davis (Local 318) and Claudine Wilkins-Chambers (Local 3429).

Click here to listen to our latest Council 4 Unplugged podcast. 

Council 4 Announces Priorities for 2022 Legislative Session

The General Assembly convenes on Wednesday, February 9, for a "short" legislative session that is concludes May 4.

Council 4's legislative priorities, informed by discussions with Council 4 leaders and members, reflect a commitment to advocating for workers’ rights and collective bargaining and properly funding quality public services at the state and local levels as we continue to deal with the pandemic.

Year in review: 2021 was a banner year for Cultural Workers United


2021 was a banner year for Cultural Workers United

Walker Worker Union (AFSCME Council 5)