The availability of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is an exciting development in the fight to get the pandemic under control--and welcome news for Council 4 members and other frontline worke
Winter brings a special set of challenges to the worklife of AFSCME Local 818 member Michael Thompson, who for the last four years has served as the Superintendent of Field Services for the New Britain Department of Public Works.
A 31-year veteran of city employment, Thompson got more added to his plate on Nov. 5, 2019, when New Britain voters elected him to serve a two-year term on the Common Council.
Thompson, who is unaffiliated, is excited to bring his union values to New Britain politics.
Despite high levels of stress on the job, many state and local workers say they highly value serving the public and their communities and feel generally satisfied with their jobs.
It's the holiday season, which means it's time for our annual Council 4 Holiday Toy Drive.
We are collecting new, unused and unwrapped toys, and gift cards, through December 13, 2019. The donations will go to our friends at the United Labor Agency, which helps Connecticut's working families in need. (If you’d like to make a monetary contribution, please make your check payable to the United Labor Agency.)
All locals, individual members and employees of Council 4 who wish to participate in this effort may bring donations to Council 4 at 444 East Main St. in New Britain.
Election Day 2019 was a big victory for working families. In states and cities across the country, they made their voices heard, electing pro-worker candidates for state and local government and providing further evidence of growing political momentum for working people.
Last year, nearly half a million workers went on strike across the nation, the largest number since 1986, when the country’s union membership rate was considerably higher (17.5%) than it was in 2018 (10.5%).
A bill that has been introduced in the House of Representatives would simplify the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program for current and would-be participants.
