We lost the battle in Connecticut, but…
Posted June 5th, 2009 by Katie BethellOn Wednesday at midnight, the gavel struck marking the close of the Connecticut Senate Session, and the end of our campaign for the Paid Sick Days bill this year. Despite an unbelievable amount of dedication and hard work, our push for Paid Sick Days came up just one vote short in the State Senate. On the final day of the legislative session, the Paid Sick Days bill stood at 18-18 on the Senate. Without the votes to pass it, Democratic leaders in the Senate did not call the bill for a vote.
We lost this battle, but we know that we’re eventually going to win the war for Paid Sick Days for everyone because we plan to be back next session! Together, we advanced the cause of Paid Sick Days within a hare’s breath of the finish line — and next year we’ll have an even better shot at going all the way to victory!
As a result of your efforts, we had some major victories this year:
* Many business owners signed on in support of this legislation, showing the strong economic case for Paid Sick Days for everyone;
* The media covered Paid Sick Days more this year than ever before;
* You sent in over 20,000 letters to your legislators supporting this effort;
* We made Paid Sick Days THE issue of the legislative session — and the number one target for the corporate lobby. They were trembling in their boots!
* The Paid Sick Days bill passed in the House of Representatives — despite a 9 HOUR debate — for the first time EVER!
All in all, we have some tremendous things to celebrate. And, while we’re deeply disappointed that the Senate wasn’t able to pass the Paid Sick Days bill this year (even though they did in the two previous years!), we know that we have their attention. And we know that next year, 2010, is an election year, where politicians will feel even greater pressure to do the right thing.
I’d like to give a big thank you to our super volunteers, Cathy and Bruce, who worked the phones all week to try to sway our swing Senators. I’d also like to thank Connecticut Working Families for their incredible leadership right up to the very end, and their good humor and always creative and innovative tactics. You’re an inspiration!
We have a whole summer to rally together and bring this fight to the Connecticut General Assembly next year. And together, we can do it!
Share your thoughts about the campaign at this blog. We’d love to hear from you about your favorite moments in working on Paid Sick Days. Did you get in a great discussion about the issue with a loved one? Did you convince a neighbor? Talk up your legislator in the grocery store? And, now that elections are coming up next year, do you think you’ll be supporting candidates who support Paid Sick Days?
Tell us what you think!
Thank you for all you’re doing for families in Connecticut. Let’s go, fight, and win next year!
12 Comments
July 1, 2009 at 9:18 am by BethTracy, Abbey, you guys are right on the money. No one should be paid for time they did not work. I will never understand why people think paid time off should be a “right”.
Now if a company wants to give you benefits that include PTO, that’s fine. That is called freedom. What you propose is called tyranny.
Check this out- my husband is in a UNION, and receives no paid vacation! We have to put money into our savings account to pay ourselves when he takes time off. Isn’t that a kooky concept!?
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June 18, 2009 at 12:28 pm by AbbieI agree with Tracy Hafen, the sense of entitlement troubles me, also. I do not want to raise my children with the idea that they should “get something for nothing”.
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June 8, 2009 at 6:29 pm by VeronicaI supported your views on paid sick days and contacted my state rep, although we did not win this time it was a major effort to get the correct attention. Keep up the good work, call on me in the future.
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June 8, 2009 at 3:34 pm by Tracy HafenMaybe you could all help me out here, but I fail to see why any company should pay someone for hours not worked. I work and would never expect to be paid for work I didn’t do or time I did not put in. In fact, I would think it utterly wrong if I got paid for time I did not put in. I have a daughter with a severe disability, and I often have to cut my hours in order to stay at the hospital or at home with her. That is my responsibility, and I would never stick the company I work for any bill for any of that time. Why does everyone want entitlements these days? Why does everyone want something for nothing? It really troubles me.
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June 6, 2009 at 3:04 pm by AlisonI wish Mom’sRising would circulate a list of those who voted against and for the bill. I will remember come voting time.
Thanks for considering this.
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June 6, 2009 at 12:41 pm by David NelsonI am glad you did this campaign. I responded to the requests for emails to CT reps. I hope you keep up the pressure to see that a sick leave bill is passed in the next session. Thank you!
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June 6, 2009 at 7:53 am by Representative Diana UrbanTo all those Moms out there , don’t lose hope. You fought a tremendous battle and made great progress…it was only one vote in the Senate that would have turned the tide. The economics of this issue are irrefutable and I will continue to be there for you. We got it out of Appropriations and we will get it thorough the General Assembly as I know you will all battle on!
Rep Diana Urban 43rd District
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Katie Reply:
June 8th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
@Representative Diana Urban,
Thank you for your words of support! We look forward to working with you to push this through next year!
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I am a GRANDMA and honored to be included! If I hadn’t had SICK days when I was in workforce I could’t have worked! Remember us! We are still a force! We VOTE. We are activists. We have been around and remember.
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June 5, 2009 at 3:00 pm by Trish PearsonKatie -
I think the campaign that you folks organized was truly impressive and brought public awareness of the issue up 150%. I would like to know where I can go to see how the senators voted. Can someone tell me that information?
Thanks and again great job!
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June 5, 2009 at 12:09 pm by Jon GreenKatie and everyone at MomsRising.com — you have been wonderful partners in this effort. All of your members should be proud of the work they did on this campaign. Your participation was essential in persuading key legislators to support this issue.
The lesson learned should be one of hope, not despair. Think of everything we’ve accomplished — including the incredible volume of emails you all sent to your elected officials and imagine that next year we need to do just a little bit more.
The opposition of the corporate lobbyists was intense. They know, like we do, that eventually we’re going to win. Commons sense, decency, and truth are all on our side.
Again, thanks for all of your hard work!
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