CT Passes Bill: to transition to a sustainable peace economy

Posted May 23, 2013

In Economy, Military contractors, Move-the-Money

By Judith Le Blanc – Field Director, Peace Action

Congrats to the US Peace Council, the New Haven Peace Commission, No Nukes No War, the CT AFL-CIO and International Association of Machinists on the passage of the bill for a state commission on converting defense work to green jobs.

There is a push being made now to insure the Governor signs the recently passed bill into law. Peace Action sent the email below to our members in CT and hopes other national groups will do the same.

From a grassroots organizing perspective, the bill opens up many opportunities for CT organizers for public education and also pressing Congress to cut the Pentagon budget and address the impact on workers and our communities.

Miriam Pemberton from the Institute for Policy Studies drafted Defense Transition proposals for Congressional action.

SAVE THE DATE: June 20 at 8pm EST, USLAW and Peace Action will host a webinar on those proposals.

For those in other states, this bill is an excellent model for how we can begin to respond to the lay offs that have and will begin as the Pentagon budget is cut.

The Congress has its role to play as well. As cuts are made to the Pentagon budget, money should be moved to fund commissions, job development, job retraining and other support for workers and their communities to make the transition from military production to green, sustainable industries.

Military sector workers and their families should not bear the social cost of making the transition to a sustainable peace economy. This commission is a step in the right direction.

Move the Money!

Pass this message on!

Dear friend,

Congratulations! On May 14, the CT House followed the State Senate, in passing State Bill 619 creating aCommission on Connecticut’s Future to find ways to keep manufacturing jobs in CT and convert to green industries as the Pentagon budget begins to be reduced. The first in the nation!

Call your representative and thank them for protecting good paying, manufacturing jobs in our communities.

The bill passed on a bipartisan 121-15 vote. The bill includes a provision for representatives from labor, environmental and peace organizations seats on the commission. An amendment was defeated which would have stripped the peace and environmental participation.

The “Dream Team” of labor and community groups worked together to get the bill introduced and passed. The team included the City of New Haven Peace Commission, US Peace Council, No Nukes No War, the CT AFL-CIO and International Association of Machinists worked.

Call Governor Dannel Mallory and ask him to sign State Bill 619 to establish the Commission on Connecticut’s Future.

Call Toll Free (800) 406-1527

The Congress has its role to play as well. As cuts are made to the Pentagon budget, that money should be moved to fund commissions, job retraining and support for workers and their communities to transition from military production to green, sustainable industries.

Move the Money!