Radio Spot #1: In This Together

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Radio Spot #2: “We need a life raft, not an anchor”

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The State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition (SEBAC) has launched a television and radio campaign that will highlight the important services that Connecticut public workers provide for all state residents.

Both television and radio ads highlight actual public workers from across Connecticut and include state troopers, a nurse, road crew members, a nursing home worker, and a teacher. The radio ad includes portions of interviews with the public service workers, using their own words to describe their jobs and the people they serve.

“These ads are designed to raise awareness of the vital services that our public workers provide,” says Margaret Dempsey, a head nurse with the Department of Development Services. “During the ongoing budget discussions, there have been some elected leaders who have advocated cutting public services to help address the budget deficit. We want to make sure that everyone understands the importance of the services that are on the table.”

Late last week, SEBAC released a poll showing that broad majorities of voters say that cutting services like health care, education, and road maintenance during a time of recession will further damage the economy and that job layoffs, whether in the public or the private sector, will do the same. The ads emphasize these points, and encourage lawmakers to rebuild and reinvest in the state.

“Our public employees want to be part of the solution to this unprecedented economic crisis,” said Bill Boucher, a special agent with the Department of Consumer Protection. “But we need to make sure that we don’t endanger the people who will need these public services more than ever as this crisis takes hold.” 

The television ads began airing on Connecticut’s major networks and cable stations on Sunday. Radio ads began airing on several of the stations with the largest listening audiences in Connecticut yesterday, as well. 

Dempsey and Boucher are members of two of the unions in SEBAC, which serves to unite approximately 50,000 Connecticut State public service workers to address issues of common concern. To learn more about the coalition’s campaign for a fair budget and a livable state with great public services, visit www.InThisTogetherCT.org. 

Links:
In This Together TV Spot

In This Together Radio Spot


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Murphy and State Rep. John Geragosian of New Britain, the incoming House Appropriations Co-Chairman, toured the Hartford call center Dec. 18 to visit with state public service workers who make sure the unemployed get the benefits they need for short-term survival.

AFSCME Local 269 President Carol Carney, a veteran DOL employee, guided Murphy, Gerogosian and the media on a tour of the call center, which is one of many critical services administered by the State Department of Labor.

On Dec. 17 alone, some 5,000 people called in looking for help and to have their questions answered about securing or extending unemployment benefits.

“Every one of these folks (manning the phones) feels so badly,” said Carney. “They know they’ll get someone on the phone who’s upset and lost a job. They know if they go to take even a bathroom break somebody’s call is not getting taken. It’s not like you get to relax and breathe. It’s nonstop. As soon as you’re finished with one call the next call comes through.”

Tulloch was visibly moved as she described some of the calls for unemployment assistance that have deluged the call center in recent weeks.

“I put myself in their situation. I have kids. I have a family, and if I was in that situation, I’d want somebody to help me out, too,” she said.

Murphy, pictured here with Carol Carney, pledged to do his part to foster a federal-state partnership to help bolster public services during the economic downturn that has engulfed Connecticut and the nation.

“The economic stimulus bill that Congress passes in January needs to have help for the states, to make sure that state governments can keep departments like this up and running so that people who need help, in this very difficult recession, get it,” Murphy said.

Ironically, on the same day of the call center tour, the latest economic data was released, showing that Connecticut jobless figures rose to 6.6% — a loss of 5,100 more jobs.