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.

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.

AFSCME joins Poor People’s Campaign virtual event, a ‘call for moral revival’

AFSCME joined a virtual gathering of the Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, a movement that seeks to shift the moral narrative of our country and build power for poor and vulnerable people.

Reminding Politicians That Union Members Already "Saved the State Billions"

The news media last week thrust state employees' contractual benefits into the spotlight following Governor Ned Lamont's public remarks at his daily COVD-19 (novel coronavirus) briefing. His comments further renewed attempts by Republican legislators to push for unlawfully breaking collective bargaining agreements.

AFSCME Praises Supreme Court Ruling Protecting LGBTQ Workers

AFSCME praised today’s ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that extends protections under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act to millions of LGBTQ workers.

In a statement, AFSCME President Lee Saunders said such protections are long overdue and represent an important step in the fight for equality and justice for all workers.