Hundreds of State Employees Rally at the Capitol for Fair Contracts and Investment in Public Services

Hundreds of state employees, including many of our AFSCME Council 4 members, gathered at the Connecticut State Capitol to call on Ned Lamont to invest in critical public services and negotiate fair contracts with the frontline workers who provide them.

The rally demonstrated the strength and solidarity of state workers who keep Connecticut running every day. AFSCME members joined colleagues from across state government to make their voices heard and underscore a simple but powerful message: public services depend on the workers who deliver them.

According to reporting by CT Insider, approximately 550 unionized state employees attended the rally at the Capitol complex, highlighting growing frustration among workers who say contract negotiations have stalled and that many bargaining units have been working without updated contracts for months.

Union members from multiple bargaining units filled the atrium of the Legislative Office Building during the demonstration, urging the Lamont administration to reach fair agreements that help recruit and retain skilled public workers across state agencies.

AFSCME Members Make Their Voices Heard

One of the event’s featured speakers was Daniel Jaworski, a regional vice president of AFSCME Local 749 and an employee of the Connecticut Judicial Branch. Jaworski, who has worked for the Judicial Branch for more than 18 years, spoke on behalf of more than 1,500 employees represented by Local 749, including workers at the Judicial Branch, the Connecticut Division of Public Defender Services, and the Division of Criminal Justice.

In his remarks, Jaworski emphasized the profound responsibility carried by the workers who support Connecticut’s justice system and the vital role they play in protecting fairness, equity, and access to justice.

“State employees save lives every day on the job,” Jaworski told the crowd.

A Responsibility at the Heart of the Justice System

Jaworski explained that the members of AFSCME Local 749 hold one of the most important responsibilities entrusted to public servants: safeguarding the integrity of the justice system.

“Our members’ extraordinary commitment to the most fundamental promises our society makes, that justice must be fair, equitable, and accessible to all, is the very foundation upon which Connecticut’s justice system is built,” he said.

He noted that the work performed by judicial employees carries tremendous weight. Decisions made by workers throughout the justice system can have life-altering consequences.

“In the justice system, a single decision can destroy a life or save it,” Jaworski said. “And the difference often comes down to the judgment of the people in this room.”

Because of those stakes, he said, AFSCME members are deeply committed to treating every person they encounter with fairness, dignity, and humanity.

Supporting Vulnerable Youth

Jaworski also spoke about his own work as a supervisor at the Bridgeport Juvenile Detention Center, where he works with some of Connecticut’s most vulnerable young people.

Many of the youth who enter the facility face significant challenges, including trauma, family instability, and a lack of the support systems they need.

“The children who come through our doors are standing at a crossroads in their lives,” Jaworski said. “The decisions we make can determine whether a young person continues down that difficult path or finds the support necessary to change the course of their future.”

By providing structure, guidance, and genuine care, he explained, staff members help ensure that these young people receive stability and support during one of the most critical moments of their lives.

Fair Contracts Strengthen Public Services

Jaworski concluded by stressing that fair contracts are not only about compensation, they are about ensuring the strength and stability of the public institutions Connecticut residents rely on.

“Our members work within a system where the stakes are extraordinarily high,” he said, noting the professionalism, integrity, and judgment required of Judicial Branch employees.

To recruit and retain the skilled professionals needed to do this work, Jaworski said, the state must demonstrate that it values the experience, dedication, and expertise of its public workforce.

“If our state hopes to recruit and retain the skilled professionals required to carry out this work,” he said, “it must show that it values the experience, judgment, and commitment our members bring to their roles every single day.”

Click here for a video of Jaworski’s remarks.