Posted on 03/15/2011 2:05:22 PM PDT by matt04
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton is in New Haven, leading a rally and march in support of New Haven public service workers.
In February, Mayor John DeStefano laid off dozens of city workers, including 16 police officers.
Betsy Rosario, who has worked for New Haven's Board of Education for years as a security officer, said she's not sure if she will have a job.
Of the 80 workers DeStefano's administration has laid off, five of them were in her union.
"We don't have a contact. We haven't had one and haven't had a raise for three years. We're worried about our jobs," said Rosario
Sharpton was invited to New Haven by Lee Saunders, who was elected secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees in July 2010.
Sharpton said New Haven like other cities across the country is using the working class to balance their bills.
"Our appeal to the mayor is that he should stay at the table and not penalize workers," Sharpton said.
DeStefano said suggestion that the city is refusing to negotiate with unions is untrue.
The following is Mayor John DeStefano, Jr.'s statement regarding the Rev. Al Sharpton's visit on behalf of AFSCME Council 4
"The City continues to seek modest changes to its employee pension and healthcare plans through negotiations and the arbitration process that are fair to worker and more in line with what the taxpayers of New Haven have, DeStefano said.
Saunders said the total burden can't be placed on the public sector working in the city.
The rally kicked off at 4:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church with a march on City Hall.
(Excerpt) Read more at wfsb.com ...
Wonder what Tawana is up to?
What an absolute a**hat. African Americans, how do you like it that the media thinks Sharpton and Jackson speak for you? I'd be ashamed! They speak for your ethnic group as much as David Duke or Nazi Pelosi speak for my ethnic group. Which is to say: none at all.
Exactly what "civil right" is it that is being denied to anyone in New Haven that Al is yapping about this time?
ML/NJ
No worries here, one word from Al and our newly elected governor will fold like a cheap suit. He’s a liberal anyway so any cuts he’s proposing will be window dressing and reversed in the next budget.
New Haven is a once-proud-now-hopeless liberal dump that the taxpaying middle class abandoned years ago. A ‘sanctuary city’, no less. Solidly Democrat. Al Sharpton’s presence assures that little will be done to help the people he purports to be so concerned about: well- compensated New Haven municipal employees, but Al will receive local and probably national news coverage, which is his real goal at all times.
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