State of theUnion General Election, 2014
Malloy-Wyman: A Real Record We Can Rely On
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s citizens, one of our most important -- and our most personal -- decisions is how we vote at the ballot box. And for members of AFT Connecticut, that decision has even greater significance in this year’s gubernatorial election. After carefully reviewing the records of both parties’ tickets, AFT Connecticut’s Executive Committee in June made the recommendation to trust our future to Governor Dannel Malloy and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman. Since then, members have been talking about the important choices we face in this year’s election and the important votes we’ll be casting on November 4. “As a healthcare worker, I am proud to support Governor Malloy,” said Harry Rodriguez, (right) a Lawrence + Memorial Hospital health unit coordinator and president of the L&M Healthcare Workers Union. “When nurses, LPNs and technicians were locked out at the hospital, Governor Malloy walked the picket line with us and (continued on page 4)
Why Connecticut Cannot Afford a “Wisconsin Moment”
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his year’s mid-terms have generated a heightened interest among not just among union members but all working families because of the war on the middle class happening across the country. Connecticut has been an exception to the stripping of workers’ rights that’s been going on in states like Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio and New Jersey since the 2010 elections. But members of AFT Connecticut’s unions are right to be concerned about their future when politicians like gubernatorial candidate Tom Foley publicly call for a “Wisconsin moment” in Connecticut.
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Delivers Keynote Speech at Connecticut GOP Annual Fundraiser in Stamford in 2013
Beyond the Rhetoric Members have asked if Mr. Foley is elected on November 4, what would bringing Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s policies to Connecticut mean for educators, public employees and all union members? Within months of the 2010 election, Governor Walker and his political allies in the legislature passed “Act 10,” effectively outlawing collective bargaining for teachers, municipal and state employees. A “Wisconsin moment” puts workers in Connecticut in jeopardy of the same kind of political attack, risking fundamental rights “Vote Row C” for Working Families
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to negotiate wages, benefits and working conditions. As the Badger State learned, a “Wisconsin moment” would permanently tilt the balance of power against educators, state workers, higher education faculty, and nurses and health professionals. Governor Walker opposed fair wages and slashed education funding by $2.6 billion -- the deepest cut in that state’s history -- while supporting tax breaks for corporations and millionaires.
Mr. Foley’s Vision
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November 4: Time to Choose Your Future
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Question 1? The Clear Answer is YES!
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