We were joined by Lt Governor Nancy Wyman, Comptroller Kevin Lembo, Attorney General George Jepsen, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz, and Representatives Roland Lemar, Matt Lesser, and Matt Ritter.
The tone of the Conference was set by AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel, via video from Washington DC who said "United we stand, divided we fall......is the very definition of Solidarity!"
Connecticut AFL_CIO President Lori Pelletier told us to "stand up and speak up for each other."
Senator Duff said, "we have a better state when we stand up for the middle class."
Representative Aresimowicz, himself a union member, said "there are no elections that we can sit out."
AFT CT Organizing Director Eric Borlaug who has experience in right to work for less states, said "if we're going to win , we can't do it alone."
Representative Lemar told us "it's not in my best interest for my neighbor to struggle."
Member after member stood and spoke on the issues, showing by what they said that they understood Jan's message and are committed to working to engage other members in the workplace and their neighbors in the community.
Many signed up to be Legislative Liaisons who will champion the cause of our unions in the spirit on Solidarity.
We face a tough budget and legislative session and Friedrichs decision looms in late spring, but as our new Organizing Dirrector told us, "this is a threat to us, but it is also an opportunity."
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