News

Federal money for programs and services that help millions of vulnerable Americans and employ many AFSCME members could be in jeopardy next year.

Council 4, a union representing 30,000 workers across Connecticut, has donated $2,000 to support Veterans OASIS (Operation Academic Support for Incoming Service Members) at Manchester Community College.

Sandy DeCampos of AFSCME Local 991 (Town of Manchester), a member of the Council 4 Veterans Committee, presented OASIS Program Coordinator Michelle LaBelle with the donation from the union’s Veterans Committee.

Training union members to be strong advocates for their co-workers and defenders of their contractual rights and freedoms is a critical part of the AFSCME mission.

“Our union is only as strong as our activist core,” said Council 4 Education Coordinator Joe Aresimowicz. “That’s why we’re dedicated to providing training that meets the needs of our union members.”

The election of Council 4 AFSCME officers took place on March 15, 2019 at our union headquarters in New Britain, CT.

The results are as follows:

Executive Director
Jody Barr, 17,725 votes
Charles DellaRocco, 3,735

President
Bernie Bombardier, 17,544 votes
Ian Shackleton, 3,169 votes

Judicial Vice President Seat
Dana Beecham-Brown, 17,120 votes
Sotonye Otunba-Payne, 2,625 votes
Charles Marino, 983 votes

Workers in Missouri and New Mexico have chalked important victories against anti-worker laws that would have robbed them of their voices and the right to bargain collectively.

In Missouri, two separate anti-worker measures, HB 1413 and SB 1007, were halted by state courts last week.

Feb. 19, 2019: Leaders of the State Employee Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) issued this response to Gov. Lamont's proposal to reduce future pension benefits:

Governor Lamont will deliver his first proposed budget to the General Assembly February 20th. In advance of that, union leaders, frontline workers – including an AFSCME Council 4 member – and community allies held a press conference on Feb. 11 urging him to reject years of austerity measures that have devastated working families.

They called on him to take a high road approach to build an economy that works for everyone.

Mark your calendars for the biennial Council 4 Conference, April 5-7, 2019 at the Mystic Marriot in Groton, CT.

We've got a busy and informative weekend planned. Highlights include workshops, our Member Recognition Dinner and our Women's Committee Gift Basket Charity Auction, which will benefit Safe Futures of New London, a shelter that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

A pension is more than a promise to current and future retired workers. It’s a great way to attract and retain workers to public service. Just ask State Parole Officer James Long of AFSCME Local 1565 (NP-4 Department of Correction Bargaining Unit).

“A defined benefit plan is a much better retirement tool than a defined contribution plan,” he says. “It’s one of the main benefits that attracted to me public service.”