O/T--

I sent a small-dollar New Haven friend here last night to donate, but the link doesn't allow for online contributions. When will this be up and working?

The thing that impresses me about the mayor is his ability to earn the support of both working families and business leaders. Hopefully he'll do for CT what Bill Clinton did for America - create an environment where the rich get richer and the poor get richer.

I am glad that this gentleman gave his endorsement so early on so we can know where the Mayor's priorities will be as Governor.

could somone explain this organization.I googled it and no links came up.Is this organization part of labor?

Mr. Cozi and Mayor Destefano,

Congratulations on your Labor endorsement. May it be the first of many.

As a small businessperson, I am supportive, but wary of unions. Organized labor transformed this country from the “gilded age” before child labor laws, to the age of the modern middle class society we have enjoyed from our childhood. So I remain pro-union, but…,

Many of my business compatriots live in fear of unions. They see unions as their enemy; competition from within, if you will. The union, in their eyes, always try’s to get the most money for the least work. (Many entrepreneurs strive for this, but do not want it from their unions.)

In my childhood, I remember unions being blamed for inefficiency and sloth; they were the reason, we were told, that jobs are going overseas. Many blue-collar workers complain about their unions, and wished they would go away. Public and Private sector alike, have found the modern union difficult to work with, and union membership is declining. In my heart, I fear a return to the “gilded” age, when business folks were the only folks who mattered; the “middle class” gradually fades away.

Not all unions are good, and not all businesses are bad, and so my questions to you Mr. Cozzi, as a union president, are these: “How are unions relevant in today’s business climate?” “Should businesses fear the unions, are they partners, or what are they each to the other?” and, “What is going on inside the union movement that should give us hope for better labor management relations?”

And my questions to you, Mr. Mayor, are these: What labor relations strategies create the best results for union members and the taxpayers alike? OR What labor relations strategies have failed us on a state or local level?

I am glad to hear that Mr. DeStefano will be running in 2006 and I support him 100%!

I am very excited that Labor has come out early and endorsed a candidate for Governor of Connecticut.
Hard work from the start allways betters ones chance at succeeding.

Mayor Destefano has committed to making lives better for residents in New Haven. He has worked with Labor in giving back to the community, not only good paying jobs with benefits, but also in seeing that local projects are being built with local residents.

What better way to make your city grow and prosper then to use your tax money on workers who live there, who in turn give the money back to the local merchants. Local business and local people all can benefit and prosper by doing business this way.

Hopefully when Mayor Destefano wins his race for Governor the whole State of Connecticut will reap the same benefits New Haven has! Way to go Mr. Cozzi in stepping up to the plate now!

Steffy never met a "workers collective" he didn't love!! Now that Ganim's out of pocket, Steffy can claim all the lucrative Union booty!!

The Connecticut State Building Trades Council is an umbrella organization that consists of all of the unions that work in the building trades in Connecticut.
If you want info on the national group that we are a part of, or what the building trades do, google BCTD, which is the Building and Construction Trades Division of the AFL-CIO. CSBTC meets on a regular basis to advance the goals of the over 30,000 unionized construction workers that live and work in the State of Connecticut. As a group we represent the second largest segment of organized workers in the state, and are proud to support Mayor DeStefano in his bid to become governor of Connecticut

Thank you very much for the explanation.I am a former member of Carpeters Local 210.My Father was a member for over 35yrs and one of my brothers still is.This is indeed a wonderful endorsement of the mayor from representatives of some of the hardest woking people of this state.
Congratulations Mr.Mayor.

Hi Blog!
I'm Becky from Newtown, I am a full time member of the campaign staff and a UConn grad. TrueBlue you noted some problems with online contributions, they are up and running and ready to take your money! You can make a credit card contribution by clicking on the contribute tab (you may need to refresh your browser). Thanks for all your support! I look forward to hearing more of the things you’d like to say.

Becky-

That's just great. I just gave another $50 in celebration of the Mayor's new blog. (I hope that makes me the first online contributor).

You guys are being ultra responsive, and everyone deserves stars today!

TrueBlue~

You too get a star today for being our first online contributor! We are all very excited by the blog and are enjoying hearing what everyone has to say so keep blogging and we will keep responding to the best of our abliites (while still giving 110% to the campaign to elect the next gov of Connecticut!)

Response to Bruce Barrett

I cannot speak for unions other than the building trades.

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The Unions in the building trades are rather unique in that they represent workers that do not customarily work as long term employees of one employer. They go from job to job as the need for skilled workers occurs. Maintaining a local workforce that is sufficient to supply the demand of the workload requires a pool of workers. The unions maintain that pool. We carry the workers health insurance and pensions, run training and apprentice schools to supply qualified workers for future demand, and operate referral offices to match employer needs with craftsmen looking for work. This ensures that local men and women can work in a career that meets the needs of their families and that employers will be able to right size their workforce to meet their needs in a very competitive industry. We work very well with our employers, as is show by the percent of market share that union companies hold in the commercial and heavy construction industry, where they daily compete on a low bid basis with non union firms.

The industry has many management groups, NECA, MCAC,AGC, CCIA and others that work with the unions on issues ranging from jobsite safety to wages and benefits in a mostly cordial relationship. The Connecticut Construction Labor Management Council is an organization founded by employers and unions that combines the activism of the unions with the business acumen of our contractors to promote a construction industry agenda at a state and local level. We believe that this should be the direction all labor management relations should take. We know that without contractors, our workers have no jobs. Our contractors know that without workers, they cannot complete their jobs. This creates the symbiosis that makes our relationship work.

Thanks D Moakley. I did not realize that some unions carry the health insurance and the pension plans for their workers. It makes a lot of sense in the context of your member's employment. Providing all my workers with full benefits is one of the ways I keep good people; I'm sure it helps you as well. The Connecticut Construction Labor Management Council sounds like a great idea. I hope, as you do, that "all labor management relations" take a similar route.

Thanks again for the reply, and I am so glad you are supporting John Destefano.