Press Room

On Sunday, Dec. 4, the Middletown Police Department announced that Officer Matt Silvestrini, who had fought a long battle with brain cancer, died Saturday.

AFSCME Local 1522 and its parent union, Council 4, applauded a ruling this month by the state labor board that found

Members of the Council 4 Delegate Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of a recommendation from our PEOPLE political action committee to formally endorse Ned Lamont in the 2018 gubernatorial election.

Delegates to our special June 12 meeting also accepted recommendations to endorse William Tong for Attorney General, Shawn Wooden for Treasurer, Jahana Hayes for Congress in the 5th District and several candidates for State Senate and State Representative.

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday issued its long-anticipated ruling in the Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 lawsuit — one that favors billionaires out to destroy America's labor movement. The 5-4 decision overturned a four decades-old precedent and has long been the goal of a shadowy network of deep-pocketed political operatives.

The unions representing correctional employees in Connecticut’s Cheshire-area prisons today are calling for action in the wake of multiple assaults on staff at Manson Youth Institution.

AFSCME Local 387 President Rudy Demiraj, a state correctional officer, said there have been three attacks directed at MYI staff that he described as “violent.” The assaults occurred on May 17, May 31 and most recently June 4. The respective victims of the assaults were a teacher, a correctional lieutenant and a correctional officer.

NEW BRITAIN, CT — Members of the Council 4 Delegate Assembly tonight elected Jody Barr to be Executive Director of the union representing more than 30,000 public service workers in Connecticut.

Barr, a member of AFSCME Local 2836 (State University Organization of Administrative Faculty) received 25,284 votes to 1,756 votes for Charles DellaRocco, a member of AFSCME Local 749 (State Judicial Branch and Division of Criminal Justice.) The Executive Director's term is four years.

With two days left to go before the state legislature adjourns for the 2018 session, local police officers and their bargaining representatives, along with a prominent chief elected official, are calling for action on a proposed bill that would provide mental health treatment, including suicide prevention, for those impacted by on-the-job trauma.

Unions are one of the best ways for working women and men to end sexual harassment and discrimination in the workplace. That is because when working people come together in union, they negotiate a contract with just cause language, and a grievance and arbitration process for dealing with conflict with the employer.

New Britain, CT – This Saturday, May 26, marks the 15th anniversary of the Council 4 AFSCME Veterans Picnic – an annual event that provides union members an opportunity to thank Connecticut military veterans while supporting statewide veterans’ causes and organizations.

The Connecticut AFL-CIO, AFT Connecticut, and AFSCME Local 704 (State Clerical) made the following statements in response to the announcement by Gov. Malloy that they will no longer use the terms “essential” and “nonessential” state employees:

Lori J. Pelletier, President of the Connecticut AFL-CIO: