Today CEA members and staff are joining thousands of other union members and community groups at rallies around the state organized in honor of May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day.
CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey, who attended a morning rally at the Capitol in Hartford and an afternoon rally at the New Haven Green, described the sensation of marching in solidarity with thousands of others around Bushnell Park before assembling outside the Capitol.
“This morning’s May Day march and rally was invigorating and empowering,” she said. “Gathering together like that brings a sense of community and joy back into a space and time that is scary for a lot of people, and it makes us understand that we are supported. We do have a voice, and there are a lot of people fighting for the rights of people who don’t have the power or the voice to do so for themselves.”
DeLancey said she felt it was important for CEA to join with other labor unions at May Day rallies because of the strength we have when we support one another’s causes and join together.
“The rights and benefits that we have as educators exist because of our work in unionism and with unions. Standing up for not only public education and the rights of educators but in solidarity with our union brothers and sisters in all facets of labor is really critical because we are in fact, stronger together. So many of our benefits come from collective action, supporting each other, and organizing,” she said.
“Without the struggles that we stand on today we would not have the eight-hour day, we would not have the weekend, and we would still have child labor,” said Senator Julie Kushner, chair of the legislature’s Labor Committee. “Today we have so many fights before us, but with the help of all of you, we can make a difference, we can make a change.”
“On May Day, it is time for us to do the work of recommitting ourselves to the project of building our working class, our middle class, and committing ourselves to all of you,” said Rep. Matt Lesser.
“A budget is a moral document. It is a statement of our values. And we see the values of those guys down in Washington, of those Republicans in Washington, who are looting our programs,” he continued. “The only question is, who are we? Who are we in this building? Are we going to pass a moral budget, a responsible budget, to stand in the gap, to stand with all of you?”
Rep. Josh Elliott told the crowd that anger is certainly justified right now—but so is hope. “Where we are right now is just the beginning of something bigger. The only way that we combat anger, that we combat greed, that we combat hatred, is by coming out together to events like this, talking with each other, and recognizing that fight that each of us is facing is really our collective fight.”
Elliott said that the latest revenue estimates out from the state yesterday anticipate that Connecticut will recognize an additional $500 million in savings this year above what had been previously projected. Despite those additional funds, he said that some lawmakers are hesitant to act to improve the quality of life for working- and middle-class people in Connecticut.
“We here in Connecticut are the richest state in the richest country in the history of the world. And we are telling you, ‘But we don’t have enough money to afford fair wages, to afford housing, to afford transportation, to afford healthcare, to afford food, to afford utilities.’ We are telling you on a day when we took in half of billion more dollars than we expected that you cannot afford to live in this state.”
State Rep. Matt Lesser addressed the crowd.
He said that, to make change in Hartford, ultimately it comes down to the math of how many of the Connecticut General Assembly’s 151 Representatives and 36 Senators will support any given initiative.
“When there are seats that are uncontested, when there are people that say at home, and when there are people that don’t vote, it allows people that disagree with us to think that it’s okay that half a billion dollars—that’s 500 million dollars—cannot go for essential services and good paying jobs.”
Elliott added, “Every time you come out to a rally like this, I want you to make sure that the people around you recognize the need, whenever the cycle comes around, to get more friends and allies into this building.”
“When this Governor or this legislature tells you that there isn’t enough money to raise your wages or offer you healthcare what they’re really saying to you is that we don’t value your work,” Rep. Jillian Gilchrest said.
“If Connecticut were to invest in public education, paying teachers, paying paraprofessionals, paying and supporting other working-class and labor union groups, it would set a tone and tenor and show what we prioritize,” DeLancey said.
DeLancey expects many teachers at evening rallies, but few educators could make a morning rally in Hartford due to teaching obligations.
“It was really great to see CEA staff show up and be there for our members who are in classrooms today,” she said. “It’s really great to feel like a part of such a great community of, not only our members who show up for our cause, but also our staff, who are really committed to taking care of our members and fighting for labor.”
