Sunday, November 18, 2018

A seat at the table

There is a saying in the Labor Movement, “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.”  

This past election CT AFL-CIO members knocked doors, made phone calls, wrote postcards, sent text, and spoke to colleges and neighbors. 
The result was the election of many of our endorsed candidates. 

This week, AFT CT prez Jan Hochadel was appointed to the Lamont Transition Team.

Also this week, after years of hard work by many people, including AFT Healthcare members, CT Representative Joe Courtney introduced a bill to protect Healthcare and Social Service workers from violence on the job.

Finally this week, Healthcare Workers at Rockville Hospital joined Rockville Nurses in voting overwhelmingly to unionize for a voice in the workplace. 

All of these are examples of member engagement leading to our voices being heard. 

As a result of the dedication and hard work of our members, we are at the table, where we deserve to be. 

Sunday, November 11, 2018

We The People still believe

I’ve been reflecting on last Tuesday’s election and what it means.
Yes, I know, the “experts” will pull it apart and analyze it for me, but that’s not what I’m talking about.
I’m not talking about percentages, and tends, and the rest.  I’m talking about what it truly means.

A larger number of people registered and voted than we usually see in a mid-term.
But well before that, people became engaged.
Engaged in the women’s march, in protests against deportations an separations of families, in solidarity with people of other faiths after tragic events, etc.
Engaged in organizations such as Emerge Connecticut, CT Progressive Delegate Caucus, CT Working Families Party, Quite Conor Shouts, etc.
Engaged in a resurgent American Labor Movement.

That’s what I’ve been reflecting on.
I heard that the Republican candidate for CT governor said that they could not match our ground game.
Our people knocked doors, made phone calls, sent postcards, helped register new voters, help with rides to the poles.
It was our commitment to a cause that gave us the organizational ability to do this and it was our organizational ability that gave us the mechanism to get it done.

Jahana Hayes, our newest Congressperson from Connecticut has a way of putting it that I like.
“When you’re a teacher, you don’t pick and choose who you advocate for,” she said. “You don’t choose who comes to your class. You don’t ask kids, ‘Is your mom a Republican or a Democrat, because that’s how I’m gonna decide how hard I’m gonna work for you.
“They come to you and you have a responsibility to leave them better than when they came. I think that’s what government should be doing.”

We reject the notion that we need to pick winners and losers.
We reject the notion that we cannot have great public education, medical care for all, a kind and thoughtful immigration policy, a living wage for all.

On this day when we honor those who served to give us the continued right to be a Government Of the People, For the People, and By the People; I think this election means that We The People still believe.