News

State Employees' Reopener, Recruitment and Retention Agreement Approved by Appropriations Committee

State Employees' Reopener, Recruitment and Retention Agreement Approved by Appropriations Committee

Agreement will continue efforts to protect and expand our communitie

Council 4 Executive Board Elections

The regular election of AFSCME Council 4 Executive Board members took place on April 6, 2024 at our union headquarters in New Britain, CT.

The results are as follows:

Council 4 Education Scholarships

COUNCIL 4 EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS

To recognize the extraordinary efforts of our members and to foster unionism, Council 4 is offering continuing education assistance in th

Caleb Cowles: Public Health Crusader for The Community He Serves

Although they never wished for it, local public health workers are having their moment.

Like Olympic athletes who train their entire life for that one career-defining moment, public health workers reached that same pinnacle and level of rigor during the COVID-19 pandemic. This may be their time to shine, but it is not without its share of adjustments.

Local 818 Pays It Forward With College Scholarships

In another example of our Council 4 affiliates paying it forward, AFSCME Local 818, representing municipal supervisors throughout Connecticut, recently announced it has awarded $500 college scholarships to the college-bound children of their members.

This year’s prize-winning scholars are:

James Tillman – His father is AFSCME Local 818 Member Joseph Tillman, who works for the Ledyard Public Works Department. James plans on attending Three Rivers Community College studying as an Accounting Major. 

Stipulated Agreement Reached on Telework

The State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) and the Lamont administration officially reached a stipulated agreement regarding telework.

Meet the New Officers of PEOPLE Statewide Steering Committee

The Council 4 PEOPLE Statewide Steering Committee has new leadership.

On June 17, members of the PEOPLE Committee gathered to nominate and elect five officers. Steve Wierbicki and Brian Cutler, members of Local 269 (State Dept. of Labor), were elected as the new Chair and Vice Chair.

Leukemia Survivor Inspires Union-Themed Kids Library at Council 4

Behind our union’s newly christened Cameron Wilson Children’s Library – a place for members’ children to sit and read a labor story or play games while their parents attend to union business at Council 4 – is a courageous child and his equally determined parents.

At the center of this story is 5-year-old Cameron Wilson, the son of  Jessica Wilson of Local 269 (P2 State Human & Social Services) and her husband Brendan. In 2017, doctors diagnosed Cameron with leukemia after he had just turned 2 and on the same day of his mom’s birthday.

Local 749 Stewards Training Builds Strength, Solidarity

Stewards are the backbone and key to strong unions. Every day, they are the union people members most often see when they are at work. With the motivation to help strengthen judicial worksites and member communication, mobilization, and education, AFSCME Local 749, representing Connecticut judicial and criminal justice employees, hosted a stewards training.

On June 18th, 30 members attended the full-day training at the Local 749 office in Meriden. Council 4 Service Representative, Rudy Demiraj, led the training with Local 749 President, Ron Nelson, assisting. 

A Year After Organizing, Unionized Ledyard Paraprofessionals Get First Contract

A year after unionizing, Ledyard Public School paraprofessionals have secured their first collective bargaining agreement.

Members of AFSCME Local 784, consisting of roughly 100 paraprofessionals, voted 52-1 in favor of the four-year agreement reached with the Ledyard Board of Education. The new contract, which went into effect July 1, 2021, provides Ledyard paras with annual general wage increases of .50, including retroactive pay, additional sick days, and paid holidays.

First-Ever Council 4 Scholarship Winners Embody Our AFSCME Union Values

The future just got a little brighter – and a little more affordable – for recent high school graduates Zachary Jahn and Bryanna Vanderburgh, winners of the first-ever Council 4 Education Scholarships.

Zachary and Bryanna are ready to take the next step toward their higher education, with the momentum of the $2,000 annual award – renewable for up to four years – behind them.