VOTE TODAY

A&R is proud to endorse the following candidates for local office.  The first four candidates are A&R members and are running for office in local elections.  If you live in any of these towns.

VOTE TODAY

Support the candidates that support collective bargaining.  All endorsed candidates were vetted by our COPE committee and determined to be supportive of working people and their right to unionize.

• JONATHAN HAND – COVENTRY TOWN COUNCIL
  • A&R Member

• ROBERT PERO – NEW LONDON BOARD OF EDUCATION
  • A&R Member

• MATT SAUNIG – GLASTONBURY TOWN COUNCIL
  • A&R Member

• SHIRLEY SURGEON – HARTFORD CITY COUNCIL
  • A&R Member

• BILL GARRITY – PLAINVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
  • University Health Professionals union president/AFT-CT vice president

• KAREN PAGLIARO – BERLIN MAYOR

• MARY BYLONE – COLCHESTER FIRST SELECTMAN

• ROSEMARY COYLE – COLCHESTER BOARD OF SELECTMAN

• MARY TOMASI – COLCHESTER BOARD OF EDUCATION

• MICHELE WYATT – COLCHESTER TAX COLLECTOR

A reminder to those members who qualify for longevity payments: the payment will be included in the 10/24/19 paycheck. To qualify, you must have 10 years of service as of 10/1/19 and a start date prior to 7/1/2011.  View the longevity charts at this link or in the back of the blue contract book (one page before the index).

We have been patiently waiting for an official announcement from DAS that the Kronos project has been dramatically scaled back.  That announcement has finally come.  On Friday, 10/4 DAS Commissioner Josh Geballe stated that "we have decided to reduce the project scope to include only the six agencies with 24/7 operations in greatest need of Kronos functionality".  At these agencies, the primary purpose of Kronos is to provide a new scheduling tool for the 24/7 operations, typically replacing the Atlas tool.  The six 24/7 agencies are:

  * ​Department of Children and Families
  * Department of Veterans Affairs
  * Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
  * Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
  * Department of Correction
  * Department of Developmental Services​

You may recall that Kronos was the biometric time-keeping system that the State was in the process of installing at every entrance/egress of each and every facility operated by the State.  A&R spoke against this project frequently as we saw no justification for the state to be spending tens of millions of dollars on a log-in system while at the same time we were taking wage freezes and furloughs.  As we looked into this project further things only got worse: the original RFP didn't include the scope of the project actually purchased; the State was making the unusual move of paying for Kronos related staff increases via bonding; incorrect equipment had been purchased; and the Kronos system didn't "fit" with CORE-CT.  As a result, the Kronos project was an out of scope mess, costing approximately $500,000 per month, and an absolute morale killer.  So naturally, we opposed every bit of it.  To be certain, we were amazed to find that this $30 million project was largely unknown and hidden from our legislators.  We want to thank our partners at AFT-CT who helped us carry the ball in exposing and opposing this project. 

For the vast majority of A&R employees, plans for Kronos deployment have come to an end.  Unfortunately for our brothers and sisters at the six agencies listed above, we still do not know the extent of the project, nor do we know if all employees at these agencies, regardless of their work hours, will be expected to sign-in/out using Kronos.  A&R will try to find the answer to these questions.  If need be, we will file a demand to bargain over any change in working conditions. 

Bottom line:  while we have good news to share with most of our members regarding Kronos, we also must continue the fight at these select remaining agencies.

-posted 10/8

We wanted to share an Op-Ed piece that appeared in the Stamford Advocate.  It was written by our brother Xavier Gordon from AFSCME Local 269.  This is about state employee pensions and stands as a counter-balance to the typical narrative that demonizes public sector pensions...thank you for writing this Xavier!

As a Connecticut state employee and taxpayer, I feel that public service workers are among Connecticut’s greatest assets — and among the most unfairly vilified.

From teachers to sanitation workers to first responders, we care for our children, plow our roads, help the jobless and the poor

It is with a heavy heart that we recognize the courage and professionalism exhibited by the employees responding to and working the scene of the tragic plane crash at Bradley Airport this week.  Many of these professionals are our union brothers and sisters.  During this time of extreme stress for our colleagues, we wanted to let them know that we at A&R are thinking of them and we ask the entire membership to keep these courageous professionals in their thoughts this week.

- 10/4/19

You may have noticed that your dues assessment increased by 23 cents in your most recent paycheck; the increase is by AFT national, which we are constitutionally required to pass along.  There are no increases from AFT Connecticut and dues directly supporting A&R, Local 4200 have remained at the same rate for decades (.40/$100 income).