Press Releases

Noted Civil Rights Leader Rev. Al Sharpton, AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee A. Saunders in New Haven March 14

Washington, D.C. – National civil rights activist and leader, the Rev. Al Sharpton and Lee A. Saunders, Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees will be in New Haven, CT on Monday, March 14, to lead a rally and march in support of New Haven public service workers at the United Methodist Church, at the corner of College and Elm Streets.

Rev. Sharpton and Lee Saunders, who was elected AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer in July 2010, are travelling across the country to fight against the coordinated attack on public employees and the services they provide. In New Haven, like so many beleaguered cities,  public services and the middle class are under attack. Mayor John DeStefano has laid off city workers including police officers, and is threatening to institute more layoffs, using the economic crisis as an excuse to privatize and destroy good jobs.

Monday, March 14, 2011
Event:   Breakfast Meeting with Ministers
Time:    9:00 – 10:30 AM
Place:   Community Baptist Church, 143 Shelton Ave.
Participants: Rev. Al Sharpton, Lee A. Saunders, local clergy, labor leaders

Event:   Rally and March for New Haven City Workers
Time:    4:30 PM
Place:   United Methodist Church (corner of College and Elm Streets)
Participants: Rev. Al Sharpton, Lee A. Saunders

AFSCME’s 1.6 million members provide the vital services that make America happen. With members in hundreds of different occupations – from nurses to corrections officers, child care providers to sanitation workers – AFSCME advocates for fairness in the workplace, excellence in public services and prosperity and opportunity for all working families.

NBC CONNECTICUT
Al Sharpton Joins New Haven Union Battle Police will not participate.
By LEANNE GENDREAU

The city worker unions battling the city of New Haven are getting a high-profile partner
Rev. Al Sharpton will participate in a rally and march on Monday, but the police union leaders will not attend, the New Haven Independent reports.

“Al Sharpton is anti-police. Why would I want to be up there and embrace a man who has been against cops his whole career?” Police Union President Louis Cavaliere told the Independent.

The New York-based activist and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders will also participate will be spreading the message “about stopping the assault on the middle class and stopping continued attacks on middle class workers who happen to have union representation,” Larry Dorman, a spokesman for Council 4, told the Independent.

The visit comes soon after more than 80 city employees were laid off, including 16 police officers, in an attempt to reduce the budget gap.  Police layoffs let to a police protest in downtown New Haven and Cavaliere making the comment that residents should arm themselves because of police cuts.

Sharpton and Saunders “agreed without hesitation” when asked to appear in New Haven, Dorman told the Independent.
“Rev. Sharpton is well aware of what’s happening in New Haven in terms of the mayor’s effort to downgrade the middle class,” Dorman said.

A breakfast meeting with ministers will be held at the Community Baptist Church, 143 Shelton Ave., from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and there will be a rally and march for New Haven city workers at the United Methodist Church, corner of College and Elm streets, at 4:30 p.m