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WORKER JUSTICE- VICTORIES AND MORE WORK TO DO 2019- updated June 15th
PASSED! SB 1, Paid Family Leave. This bill will benefit workers, families and our economy. Any argument claiming that this crucial benefit would hurt our economy or the well-being of our businesses is nonsensical. The fact is, after ten years of paid leave in California, employers overwhelmingly report positive or neutral impact on their bottom lines.
Read how Paid Family Leave will impact you here.
PASSED HB 5004 AA, Increasing the Minimum Fair Wage. Connecticut is now officially the seventh state to raise the minimum wage to $15! Thanks to years of organizing by workers, activists and allies, more than 300,000 low-wage workers in Connecticut will soon begin to receive a decent wage.
PASSED! SB 1, Paid Family Leave. This bill will benefit workers, families and our economy. Any argument claiming that this crucial benefit would hurt our economy or the well-being of our businesses is nonsensical. The fact is, after ten years of paid leave in California, employers overwhelmingly report positive or neutral impact on their bottom lines.
Read how Paid Family Leave will impact you here.
PASSED HB 5004 AA, Increasing the Minimum Fair Wage. Connecticut is now officially the seventh state to raise the minimum wage to $15! Thanks to years of organizing by workers, activists and allies, more than 300,000 low-wage workers in Connecticut will soon begin to receive a decent wage.
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D.U.E. (Democracy, Unity, Equality) Justice Rally
Despite an icy snow storm, nearly a thousand people showed up at the April 4th D.U.E. Justice March for Fairness. They lifted their voices against the idea that we should accept any economy that takes from the many and gives to the few. Nor should we allow racial, gender and ethnic injustice to exist in the state. Good people filled the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. There, they heard powerful testimonials about issues that matter to the 99-percent: good jobs at fair wages; quality public education for all; a fully funded public sector; and a level, open democracy. The event was a tremendous way to honor the 48th anniversary of Dr. King's devastating assassination. While we should never forget that great racial strides have been made during the intervening years, the difference between the economic elite and the 99 percent has rocketed upwards. Democracy works for everyone, or it is not democracy. Speakers committed to hold state legislators accountable. They publicly vowed to return on May 11th with a full scorecard. How well have legislators lived up to the D.U.E. Justice principles? The night ended with a call to action. After lobbying legislators inside the LOB, everyone marched to Hartford City Hall to demonstrate against the anti-worker legislation proposed by Hartford's new Mayor. City Council defeated the Mayor's resolution, 8 to 1! It was a powerful night for Democracy, Unity and Equality. Congratulations to everyone who joined this event, by presence or spirit. To see more: Find D.U.E. Justice on FB. Follow on Twitter #VoiceForAll #MLK |
Join us as we stand together to tell political leaders to support the D.U.E. Justice Agenda: Good Jobs and Fair Wages, Universal Access to Quality Public Education, A Vibrant and Fairly Funded Public Sector, Democracy in our State and in Our Work Places, Racial, Gender, and Ethnic Justice. RSVP Today!
"We must never adjust ourselves to economic conditions that take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King” Please spread the word widely!
Follow Democracy, Unity and Equality (D.U.E.) Justice Coalition on FB & Twitter.
Click here for the downloadable flyer
View the April 4th March for Fairness video here.
"We must never adjust ourselves to economic conditions that take necessities from the many to give luxuries to the few." Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King” Please spread the word widely!
Follow Democracy, Unity and Equality (D.U.E.) Justice Coalition on FB & Twitter.
Click here for the downloadable flyer
View the April 4th March for Fairness video here.
Legislative Solutions Under Consideration in 2017:
ENDING THE AUSTERITY MADNESS: Connecticut continues to give huge financial packages to some of the most profitable corporations in the world while demanding painful cuts in the services that make Connecticut a great place to live. D.U.E. Justice is the CCAG-led coalition focused on equity, racial justice, and protection of the safety net. On February 15th, the Coalition visited the house of nearly every Senator with a request to work together on these specific goals this session. Contact CCAG’s Ann Pratt to volunteer/join in these efforts. Contact Ann Pratt: ann.prattccag@gmail.com
RAIDING ELECTRIC RATEPAYERS TO FUND A PIPELINE: In 2017, CCAG's focus is on opposing proposed funding of a natural gas pipeline in the form of a pipeline tax. Cost projections by Eversource, one of the primary pipeline sponsors, ignores significant costs of the pipeline, including operations, maintenance, depreciation, and return on equity, making the true cost more than double the company’s claim $6.6 billion versus $3.2 billion.
Contrary to the utilities’ claim that the pipeline would lower consumer electric rates, New England ratepayers could have to pay an additional $277 million over the lifetime of the pipeline.
The pipeline sponsors had initially proposed that the pipeline construction be paid through a pipeline tax added to monthly electric bills. The pipeline tax was overruled by the Massachusetts Supreme Court and rejected by the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission. That tax, however, remains in place in Connecticut, meaning ratepayers would be forced to pay for construction and any cost overruns of the pipelines as well as maintenance and operations. A bill has been submitted by Rep. Rosario of Bridgeport to ban the pipeline tax, HB 6546 and would prohibit utility customers from being forced to subsidize the cost of interstate natural gas pipeline construction. Thank you to www.consumersforsensibleenergy.org for these details.
NUCLEAR SHAKEDOWN: Dominion (Millstone owner) wants to put nuclear power in the same class as renewables based on the “no carbon emission” aspect of operation. CCAG is firmly against it. Nuclear has unique risks fundamentally different from distributed renewable sources such as solar, wind, and water. And Millstone has been quite profitable as evidenced in all reports to shareholders. More importantly, dilution of “renewable” as a legal term reduces incentives phasing out climate-warming fossil fuels.
LIVABLE WAGES: CCAG strongly supports raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour as quickly as possible (SB 13 and HB 6208). Secondarily, CCAG would like to refine 2016’s bill (SB 391) offering large-scale, low-wage employers (such as big box stores and franchises) a choice: pay a non-poverty wage OR pay into the state budget for the costs of social services used by their underpaid employees. Moving people out of poverty is the right thing to do, and a living wage makes a strong economy. Why any opposition? Some of the rich are focused on easy money. They miss clear linkages between their own well-being and an inclusive economy that keeps everyone comfortable and empowered. Their money speaks loudly in our political system, yet another reason for all workers to be paid well.
Legislative solutions considered in 2016:
RB 5591, AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT RETIREMENT SECURITY PROGRAM: This very important bill passed. We all pay when our loved ones, friends, and neighbors aren't prepared for retirement. So does the collective Connecticut economy. Nearly 600,000 private-sector workers in Connecticut have no access to workplace-based retirement saving! Thus CCAG strongly supports this bill, based on the work of the Connecticut Retirement Security Board (CRSB). Passage creates a private-sector retirement savings program for all small business employees. The fund is independent of employer and government. Participation is completely voluntary, and retirement savings stay with the saving employee through any job changes (portability). See editorial in "Connecticut Viewpoints" on this subject, here.
SB 391, AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOUPMENT OF STATE COSTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO LOW WAGE EMPLOYERS: This bill, sadly, did not pass this year despite a large budget gap which it would have helped to address. Many large, profitable corporations choose to pay their workers poverty wages with no benefits. Taxpayers are forced to subsidize company profits when underpaid employees claim the child care subsidies, food stamps and Medicaid meant for those who cannot work. This bill is a step toward presenting such companies with a choice: pay non-poverty wages with benefits, or repay state taxpayers through a fee. CCAG will continue the fight. It often takes multiple sessions to push bills like this through in one version or another.
HB 5237, AN ACT CONCERNING FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYMENT: This bill passed! There are over 70 million people in the U.S. with arrests or convictions that make it almost impossible to find work. They languish, the economy loses wage-earners, and we pay for their forced inactivity. Passage of this bill helps give former offenders a second chance to participate. For instance, criminal background checks wait until a provisional offer has been made. Then, after getting to know and choosing a potential employee on his or her merits, the employer still has full discretion to withdraw the offer after finding any criminal record, should they choose to do so. CCAG will monitor implementation.
SB 221, AN ACT CONCERNING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE: More work to do. It did not pass, this session. CCAG will continue to work hard on this issue in future legislative sessions. Many employees are covered by the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, 78% of workers don’t use it. They can’t afford to lose pay. Passage requires that Connecticut employers create a paid family and medical leave program based on a state-managed trust fund amassed through modest wage deductions from all full-time, eligible workers. Every developed nation but the US invests in paid family leave for a better future.
RB 5591, AN ACT CONCERNING THE CONNECTICUT RETIREMENT SECURITY PROGRAM: This very important bill passed. We all pay when our loved ones, friends, and neighbors aren't prepared for retirement. So does the collective Connecticut economy. Nearly 600,000 private-sector workers in Connecticut have no access to workplace-based retirement saving! Thus CCAG strongly supports this bill, based on the work of the Connecticut Retirement Security Board (CRSB). Passage creates a private-sector retirement savings program for all small business employees. The fund is independent of employer and government. Participation is completely voluntary, and retirement savings stay with the saving employee through any job changes (portability). See editorial in "Connecticut Viewpoints" on this subject, here.
SB 391, AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOUPMENT OF STATE COSTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO LOW WAGE EMPLOYERS: This bill, sadly, did not pass this year despite a large budget gap which it would have helped to address. Many large, profitable corporations choose to pay their workers poverty wages with no benefits. Taxpayers are forced to subsidize company profits when underpaid employees claim the child care subsidies, food stamps and Medicaid meant for those who cannot work. This bill is a step toward presenting such companies with a choice: pay non-poverty wages with benefits, or repay state taxpayers through a fee. CCAG will continue the fight. It often takes multiple sessions to push bills like this through in one version or another.
HB 5237, AN ACT CONCERNING FAIR CHANCE EMPLOYMENT: This bill passed! There are over 70 million people in the U.S. with arrests or convictions that make it almost impossible to find work. They languish, the economy loses wage-earners, and we pay for their forced inactivity. Passage of this bill helps give former offenders a second chance to participate. For instance, criminal background checks wait until a provisional offer has been made. Then, after getting to know and choosing a potential employee on his or her merits, the employer still has full discretion to withdraw the offer after finding any criminal record, should they choose to do so. CCAG will monitor implementation.
SB 221, AN ACT CONCERNING PAID FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE: More work to do. It did not pass, this session. CCAG will continue to work hard on this issue in future legislative sessions. Many employees are covered by the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA). However, 78% of workers don’t use it. They can’t afford to lose pay. Passage requires that Connecticut employers create a paid family and medical leave program based on a state-managed trust fund amassed through modest wage deductions from all full-time, eligible workers. Every developed nation but the US invests in paid family leave for a better future.
Issue background, relevant reports, and related news:
Connecticut’s minimum wage of $9.15 does not allow working families to make ends meet. The state’s minimum wage provides less than half of a living wage for a single adult and only 22 percent of the living wage for a single adult with two children. #RaiseTheWage and #FightFor15. Click here to read the full report.
In the news!
WTNH- Oct. 27th: Report: living wage more than twice state’s minimum wage
CT News Junkie, Oct 15th: Study Finds $15 Minimum Wage Isn’t Enough in Connecticut
Windsor Locks-East Windsor Patch: CT Minimum Wage Workers Must Work 83 Hours to Make a Living Wage: A new report shows that even if the minimum wage was raised to $15 an hour it wouldn’t be enough.
In the news!
WTNH- Oct. 27th: Report: living wage more than twice state’s minimum wage
CT News Junkie, Oct 15th: Study Finds $15 Minimum Wage Isn’t Enough in Connecticut
Windsor Locks-East Windsor Patch: CT Minimum Wage Workers Must Work 83 Hours to Make a Living Wage: A new report shows that even if the minimum wage was raised to $15 an hour it wouldn’t be enough.
From the 2015 legislative session:
During this last legislative session (2015), CCAG exposed the damaging impact large profitable CT corporations have when they pay their workers poverty wages with little or no benefits. Forcing workers onto safety net programs only makes taxpayers pay. This amounts to a stealthy state subsidy to corporate profits. Our solution to this issue - creating a Low Wage Employer Fee - was supported by 73% of Connecticut voters.
The NYT, the Nation, the Huffington Post and the Atlantic covered and supported both the Worthy Wage Campaign and the Low Wage Employer Fee solution as as model for the entire country.
The NYT, the Nation, the Huffington Post and the Atlantic covered and supported both the Worthy Wage Campaign and the Low Wage Employer Fee solution as as model for the entire country.
Connecticut Citizen Action Group, 30 Arbor Street Ste 107, Hartford, CT 06106
(860) 233-2181 - action@ccag.net
(860) 233-2181 - action@ccag.net