News

Local 3145 members should use this section to review your rights on the job, including grievances, Weingarten rights, Workers' Compensation and the collective bargaining agreement between our union

The Council 4 union family suffered a terrible loss with the death of Service Representative Robert “Bob” Parziale, who died unexpectedly June 18 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury. He was 61.

“Parz,” as he was routinely and affectionately called, joined Council 4 in 2008 after a 20-plus year career as a state correction officer. 

The COVID-19 pandemic arrived at a time when our nation’s health care workers were already experiencing burnout. The National Academy of Medicine, in a report from 2019, said that 35% to 54% of nurses and physicians in the United States had “substantial symptoms of burnout.”

Then things got worse.

CJ Alicandro (left) is pictured with a few of their colleagues. Photo credit: AFSCME Council 75.

CJ Alicandro (left) is pictured with a few of their colleagues. Photo credit: AFSCME Council 75.

Council 4 members and the political staff achieved significant gains during the Connecticut General Assembly's most recent legislative session, which ended May 4.

Several Council 4 members from a variety of job fields spoke during public hearings this session. Many more reached out to legislators through email, calls and letters.

Through the hard work of our Council 4 members and staff and our brothers and sisters in other unions, we won many victories that benefit working people across the state — not all of which were achieved through the bills that passed.

American Red Cross (ARC) workers, including many AFSCME members, are rallying this week in cities nationwide to fight back against mistreatment from their employer and demand a fair contract. The protests are being held in Washington; Lansing, Michigan; Peoria, Illinois; Hartford, Connecticut; Pomona, California; and San Diego.

New Britain, CT - Frontline American Red Cross (ARC) employees in Connecticut represented by Local 3145 of AFSCME Council 4 rallied to demand a fair contract as they resume negotiations this week. The 160-member bargaining unit encompasses jobs including blood technicians, nurses, laboratory staff, and blood transportation workers.

The Council 4 union family is grieving the untimely death of Steve Curran, a beloved service representative who fought tenaciously for our members and dedicated an extraordinary amount of his time and energy to supporting military veterans and rehabilitating rescue dogs.

Steve died April 29 at Yale New Haven Hospital due to complications from a stroke that he suffered on April 10. He was 58.