News

Department of Public Works (DPW) workers are often in the background of our bustling communities, but society would not function without these essential workers maintaining our roads and infr

The union difference is a tangible one, as members of Local 1174 of Council 4 AFSCME, East Hartford public works employees, will tell you. 

Earlier this year, the Union and the Town reached agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement that significantly raises wages to a level that will keep dedicated, productive employees working in East Hartford.  

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. 

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.

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.

With thousands of state employees expected to retire before July 1, 2022 and staffing levels across all state agencies stretched thin or beyond the breaking point, Council 4 members like Ana Lindley, Anthony Soto and Amanda Tower are sounding the alarm.

They are joining state employee union members across Connecticut in a campaign to urge Gov. Ned Lamont and state legislators to protect and expand critical public services. Their collective message: We need increased funding and higher staffing levels in order to ensure a strong future for Connecticut.

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. 

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.