News

In Memoriam: Lawrence “Larry” Amendola, 1934-2024

Council 4 mourns the loss of Lawrence “Larry” Amendola, former President and founding member of AFSCME Local 3144, New Haven Management and Professional Employees.

State Employees’ Reopener, Recruitment and Retention Agreement Overwhelmingly Passes General Assembly

State Employees’ Reopener, Recruitment and Retention Agreement Overwhelmingly Passes General Assembly

Agreement supports protection and expan

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

Local 269 Member Ed Hawthorne a Committed Volunteer in Politics

Ed Hawthorne of AFSCME Local 269 (State P-2 Human and Social Services) views political engagement as an absolute necessity for union members in an age of unprecedented legislative and judicial attacks on organized labor.

“Unions are our last best hope to save the middle class,” he said in explaining his commitment to labor-to-labor activities like phone banks and neighborhood canvassing for union-friendly candidates.

In Connecticut or Louisiana, the Fight Is the Same

Leighton Vanderburgh for Unions.

Roughly 1,500 miles separate Hartford, Connecticut from Angola, Louisiana, but if one Council 4 Corrections Officer’s journey is any indication, those areas are closer than you think – especially in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s anti-union decision in Janus v. AFSCME.

Be sure to watch the brief video on this page featuring Leighton's reflections on why "Right to Work for Less" is harmful.

Local 1303-26 Staying AFSCME Strong in Southington

The 34 members of AFSCME Local 1303-026, Southington Public Works/Water Pollution Control, are sticking with their union. One way they show their union pride is by wearing their Council 4 AFSCME Strong tee-shirts at work every Tuesday.
 
It’s a simple equation, according to bargaining unit President Eric Prinzorn, who is employed as a Driver. “I’ve seen it time and time again,” he said.

Defending the Future of Our Collective Bargaining Rights

A Republican legislative leader last week launched a politically motivated media attack on gains made by state employee unions. At issue are contractual bonuses due later this month as part of a 2017 agreement to protect jobs, extend benefits and preserve services. In reality, the true targets are the collective bargaining rights that secured them — rights which face an uncertain future in the wake of a recent U.S.

In Memoriam: Lois O'Connor, 1928-2018

We mourn the loss of former Council 4 President Lois O'Connor, a true stalwart in the struggle for labor, civil and women's rights. Lois passed away July 9 at the age of 90.

Red Cross Workers Unite for Fair Contract, Better Working Conditions

Across the country, front-line blood collection workers at the American Red Cross, including members of Local 3145 of AFSCME Council 4 in Connecticut, are fighting to improve working conditions in national contract negotiations with their corporate employer.
 
Local 3145 is part of a national union coalition representing more t

Janus Vs. AFSCME: Get the Facts, Stay Union Strong

Any day now, the United States Supreme Court will issue a ruling on Janus v. AFSCME Council 31. This lawsuit aims to take away the freedom of public workers to join together in strong unions. When the highest court in the nation heard the case on February 26, the nine justices essentially heard arguments for and against Right to Work For Less for public sector workers across the nation.

AFSCME Local 1303 Awards College Scholarships

AFSCME Local 1303, representing 7,500 municipal employees across the state, announced the winners of the 2018 College Scholarships, awarded annually to the children of union members pursuing their higher education degrees.

Local 1303’s Scholarship Committee selected eight high school seniors and two collegiate freshmen to receive individual scholarships of $1,000 to apply to their studies next year. Scholarship applications included an essay on how union membership benefited a student’s life and family.