The immigrant’s journey is rarely easy but often inspiring. Marek Morawski's path from classically trained musician in Warsaw, Poland to public works union leader in East Hartford, Connecticut is no exception.
“In the United States,” Morawski said, “if you work hard, you can achieve what you want.”
Morawski , who emigrated to Connecticut in 1984, is no stranger to hard work. He is a Maintainer for the Town of East Hartford and President of AFSCME Local 1174. The 58-person bargaining unit includes Parks, Public Works, Sanitation and Mechanics.
Members of AFSCME’s law enforcement community take countless risks to keep our communities safe. When those brave heroes make the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty, our obligation is to never forget them.
National Police Week is a time to honor fallen law enforcement officers, as well as a time for the law enforcement community to stand in solidarity with each other.
Shawn Dougherty is a correctional substance abuse counselor at the Carl Robinson Correctional Institution in Connecticut. He is also a member of Local 391 of Council 4. On Tuesday, he testified on Capitol Hill about the need for lawmakers to fund the Loan Repayment Program for Substance Abuse Treatment Workers.
Every year on April 28 – the date when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was formed – the AFL-CIO and affiliated unions such as AFSCME observe Workers Memorial Day to honor workers killed or injured on the job.
Council 4 held its remembrance on April 26, in front of our AFSCME Workers Memorial Monument, which lists Council 4 member who have died on the job.
Michael Fitts of the Connecticut Council on Occupational Safety and Health joined Council 4 Executive Director Jody Barr in a call to protect workers and hold employers accountable.
AFSCME members touch the lives of students in countless ways. They get them to school safely, brighten their classrooms and schools, and even prepare them nourishing meals while away from home. Among the students AFSCME members work with, those with disabilities hold a special place in their hearts.
Our union is a voice for library professionals. Nationwide, AFSCME represents more than 25,000 library workers at the state and local levels. Council 4 proudly represents more than 500 library professionals in cities and towns across Connecticut.
Using the Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME as a jumping-off point, Council 4’s biennial conference served as a call to action to maintain strength and solidarity in the face of stern challenges ahead.
More than 200 members participated in the conference, which took place April 5-7 in Groton, and embraced the theme of “Our Union, Our Future” as we engaged further in the fight to protect our rights and freedoms.
“The Janus decision was supposed to be our funeral,” Executive Director Jody Barr said during his opening remarks to delegates. “But it wasn’t."
Fifty-one years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. traveled to Memphis to help rally the community around 1,300 AFSCME sanitation workers who had gone on strike.
