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CSEA Connections

This is our forum, for sharing our experiences from the workplace and in our communities, and our observations on the movement we are all part of!

Building a Union for Connecticut's Paras
Our mission has been simple; to build greater power for Connecticut's paraeducators. That's why we formed our new Paraprofessional Council. And now we have elected new leadership to guide us in achieving our objectives over the next two years!

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/14/2008 8:38:00 PM

comments (0) Leading for Quality Services ,  Para Communications ,  Paraeducators Standards

Members' Voices in the News on "Pooling"
Yesterday's Hartford Courant and Connecticut Post both included our members' comments praising lawmakers for passing the historic healthcare "pooling" bill in the final days of the legislative session -- and calling on the Governor to sign it into law. Meanwhile, as opponents ratchet up their rhetoric, our allies call on all of us to amplify our message to Governor Rell...

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/9/2008 12:30:00 PM

comments (0) Healthcare Reform ,  Leading for Quality Services

End of Session: Not the End of our 40-Hour Workweek
The whirlwind of the past two weeks brought us a historic agreement for our members working for the Department of Transportation -- all part of our effort to reform the culture of the agency. However, getting it through the General Assembly before they adjourned the 2008 session proved to be too tall an order, and now we focus on the special legislative session expected this summer....

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/8/2008 6:45:00 PM

comments (0) DOT Reform ,  Leading for Quality Services

Opponents Already Pressing the Governor to Veto "Pooling"
At 2:00am last night, the State Senate passed the Connecticut Healthcare Partnership -- the bill that "pools" workers in a single health plan -- by a vote of 22 to 12! The bill now goes to Governor Rell for her signature, and opponents are already turning up the heat to force a veto...

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/7/2008 8:15:00 PM

comments (0) Healthcare Reform ,  Leading for Quality Services

Benefits of Our SEIU Affiliation
Local President Mike O'Brien here -- in my report to the P-4 Council last week, I provided answers to several questions about what our affiliation with SEIU has brought us since our union overwhelmingly voted to partner with them. I thought I'd share that portion of the report with all of our members here at our blog...

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Posted By: Michael O'Brien on 5/7/2008 7:22:00 PM

comments (0) General Communications ,  P-4 Communications

Legislative Slowdown is a Call to Action
With less than two full days left in the General Assembly's 2008 legislative session, news headlines are reporting the ballooning budget deficit has caused paralysis at the Capitol. Today's Hartford Courant reports that Governor Rell has told lawmakers not to pass any bills with a fiscal impact, meaning several of our legislative initiatives are in danger of not being called for a vote!

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/6/2008 5:45:00 PM

comments (0) Clean Contracting ,  Criminal Justice Reform ,  DOT Reform ,  Healthcare Reform ,  Leading for Quality Services ,  Long Term Care Relief ,  Retirement Security ,  Whistle-Blower Protections

Budget Crisis Imperils DOT Reform
With time running out in the legislative session, and a looming budget deficit threatening to block progress on several initiatives to reform the State's Department of Transportation, we are calling our DOT reform messengers to action! Hanging in the balance are the bill that moves up implementation of last year's "clean contracting" law, the bill re-written to re-organize the DOT from the ground up, as well as last week's agreement creating access to a voluntary 40-hour schedule for the workforce.

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/6/2008 5:12:00 PM

comments (0) Clean Contracting ,  DOT Reform ,  Leading for Quality Services

Connecting Our P-3A Council Members
As P-3A Council President, I am looking forward to using our new website for improving communications among our members.  The April 2008 "P-3A Bulletin" which was mailed to our members is now also linked to our main Council page.

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Posted By: Paige Farnham on 5/2/2008 4:01:00 PM

comments (0) General Communications ,  Leading for Quality Services ,  P3-A Communications ,  Retirement Security

Act to Protect "Whistle-Blowers"
Last night the State Senate voted 32 to 4 to pass legislation that strengthens "whistle-blower" protections for public service workers reporting waste, fraud, or abuse in the agencies where they work. Read today's Hartford Courant article on the bill, which we added to our 2008 legislative agenda in January when Attorney General Richard Blumenthal introduced this important proposal.

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/1/2008 4:55:00 PM

comments (0) Our Rights at Work ,  Whistle-Blower Protections

Lawmakers' Logic-Defying Budget Scheme: Another ERIP
The State's desperate budget situation, and elected officials’ proposals for how to deal with it, has dominated this week's news headlines. Read how GOP lawmakers are rewriting recent history to sell their scheme -- another early retirement incentive program (ERIP) for State workers -- at The Hartford Courant's Capitol Watch blog...

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Posted By: Matt OConnor on 5/1/2008 10:55:00 AM

comments (0) Clean Contracting ,  DOT Reform ,  Leading for Quality Services ,  Political Action