WORKERS ARE ORGANIZING AND READY FOR ACTION

He who allows oppression shares the crime --- Erasmus Darwin

At various state agencies all over Connecticut workers are experiencing oppression at the hands of management. For a long time the workers stood by silently and suffered untold agonies from management in the form of terminations, extra scrutiny etc. Finally workers are standing up and organizing to fight the workplace bullying tactics of management. At Connecticut Juvenile Training School-- Youth Services Officers now attend American Federation of State, County, Municipal Employees Union meetings  and voice concerns. Well, it looks as if the masses of workers in other locations feel a need to organize also.

AFSCME workers of Local 318 held a diverse meeting of various workers to discuss issues. Activist Cornell Lewis addressed this group [ in a small crowded room ] concerning workplace bullying that is often disguised in the form of policy and procedure. Lewis was introduced and gave a summary about his fight against management in Department of Children and Families plus Connecticut Juvenile Training School. “It is necessary [ said Lewis ] to understand how management in various agencies use policy and procedure to implement workplace bullying. If we organize against what is going on at least the people beating us over the head ( so to speak ) will know they are in a fight. Historically no social protest begins or ends without some sort of casualty, in the form of job loss or worse. In order to make systemic change a war has to be waged in conventional and non conventional ways.” People sat and listened attentively as Lewis spoke, their eyes showed signs of fear and hope. A silence fell over the group and then a woman spoke about being afraid of retaliation from management for being involved in any sort of praxis. Again Lewis gave the masses hope by saying it is okay to be afraid but that fear is something management uses against workers, keeping them immobilized and inactive. “ To fight back takes a certain courage that not everyone possesses, but if you cannot fight directly, then help behind the scenes by providing support in some form.” David Samuels founder of the Community Party also spoke about the work needed to pass his Workplace Bullying bill. This legislation gives oppressed workers a weapon in which to fight management who repeatedly oppress workers.

After a lively question and answer session the meeting ended and a glimmer of hope could be seen in faces of people leaving the room.

WORKERS ARE ORGANIZING AND READY FOR ACTION