NEW BRITAIN, Conn.—An enthusiastic crowd renewed their commitment to protect and expand Social Security and stand up for the dignity and justice of all retirees during the Connecticut Alliance for Retired Americans (CT ARA) annual awards luncheon held at Central Connecticut State University recently.

State Rep. Jane Garibay accepted the Charlene Block Award, and CT ARA Recording Secretary Joelle Fishman accepted the Kevin Lynch Award on behalf of herself and in honor of Art Perlo, who passed away in December 2021 from cancer.

A standing ovation greeted Joelle as Kevin Lynch, founding president of CT ARA, presented the award, saying it was long overdue. He praised Fishman’s constant solidarity with workers’ struggles, handing out the People’s World at conventions, and rallying for social justice across the state with husband Art Perlo, who helped organize Local 34 at Yale 40 years ago and served on the executive board of Yale Unions Retirees Association (YURA).

Before she accepted the award, a proclamation from Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro was read by ARA board member Bill Morico. On behalf of YURA, New Haven Alder Evette Hamilton gave a heartfelt appreciation of Art’s role with the unions and in the ward she represents, saying his contributions “go beyond New Haven to Connecticut, the country, and even the world.”

As coordinator of CT ARA’s founding community affiliate, the New Haven People’s Center, Joelle told how those early members marched and fought for Social Security, union rights, and an end to racial discrimination in the 1930s.

“From the moment Social Security was signed into law,” she said, “the corporate profiteers have been aiming to get their hands on that money—our money from our labor!”

Joelle recalled Art’s blunt warning that “Social Security is in danger, not because it is running out of money, but because it is running into vultures who want to kill our retirement security so they can feast on the carcass.”

“That was in 2005 when George W. Bush had appointed a special commission designed to undermine and privatize Social Security,” she said. “But Art’s statement could have been made today as the MAGA Republican vultures circle.”

In a call for unity, Fishman emphasized, “the MAGA Republican vultures circling to kill Social Security depend on divide-and-conquer tactics. They use race-baiting, labor-hating, and red-baiting. So, we have to be all about unity and solidarity. This fight can be won if we all stick together.”

Sharing stories of lessons learned in the union about the power of collective action, Fishman urged that “retired union members are able to carry the message into the community…We can do that in 2024 and beat the circling vultures before they destroy all our rights and our democracy.

Fishman also shared her personal story growing up in a union household and a Communist household. “That means I grew up knowing we were on the side of the workers and not the bosses. I grew up on the union picket line at Campbell’s Soup in Camden, N.J., where my father worked. I grew up marching as part of the civil rights movement. I knew we were on the side of racial justice and equality and not the KKK,” she said to applause.

“I learned early on,” she said, “that an injustice to anyone is an injustice to everyone, and I’ve tried to live my life that way as did Art.”

Expressing her deep appreciation for the award, Fishman concluded, “I hope it will make our unity and vision stronger so we can win a better world.”

Presenting the Charlene Black Award to Rep. Garibay, who chairs the state legislature’s Aging Committee, ARA executive board member Amelia Smith praised her long-time activism in the town of Windsor and her leadership to improve the lives of seniors.

Her bill to expand adult day centers passed the House and Senate unanimously. She also pushed legislation to establish family councils, notification of unwanted releases from nursing homes, and protection of seniors in nursing homes and home care.

“I never expected to be in the legislature, and when I ran nobody thought I would win,” Garibay said with a smile as she accepted the award. “Now I know this is where I should be.”

Chaired by CT ARA President Bette Marafino, the event opened with remarks by national ARA representatives Tommy McLaughlin and Roger Boudreau. They expressed appreciation for the work in Connecticut to protect and expand Social Security.

Marafino leads a subcommittee of the national ARA working to repeal the GEP and WPO measures that deny some public sector workers from receiving their full Social Security benefits after retirement if they worked second jobs.

Greeting the luncheon, Connecticut AFL-CIO President Ed Hawthorne and Executive Vice President Shellye Davis spoke of their work at the legislature and within the union movement to win equity and justice for all workers.

A special appeal was made to support the Starbucks strike.  The CT ARA has adopted the Corbins Corner Starbucks in West Hartford for solidarity and support.

Saying that Social Security is keeping 167,000 Connecticut seniors out of poverty, Hawthorne emphasized the support of the Social Security 2100 bill introduced by Connecticut Rep. John Larson with Rep. Jahana Hayes “to strengthen Social Security so it’s around not only for when I retire but for my daughter’s generation and beyond.”

He concluded, “Together, we are going to help workers on strike win better contracts, organize more workers into unions, ensure all workers have retirement security, and build a stronger labor movement! When we fight together, we win!”

Everyone went home with a button and bookmark for the Art Perlo Presente website at artperlo.net.

The full speech is available here.

View the photo gallery from the event here.

Thank you so much, Kevin.

I am so deeply moved and of course greatly honored to be recognized on behalf of Art and myself for our commitment to the CT Alliance for Retired Americans. And congratulations and appreciation Rep Garibay for your work on the Aging Committee at the State Legislature. I'm so happy to be awarded with you.

I clearly remember the day that Kevin Lynch called me and invited the Peoples Center to be the community affiliate to enable CT ARA to qualify for its founding charter. We were all so excited. The certificate issued by the national ARA hangs in the front hallway of the Peoples Center.

And now years later under the leadership of Bette Marafino along with Win Heimer CT ARA is a place where retirees from lots of unions can join together and keep up the fight.

The founders of the Peoples Center in 1937 were immigrant workers who led huge marches that won Social Security and unemployment compensation. They helped organize some of the early unions in New Haven, and pioneered to end racist segregation.

From the moment Social Security was signed into law, the corporate profiteers have been aiming to get their hands on that money – our money from our labor!

Art put his many talents and creativity into that fight among many others. He said bluntly “Social Security is in danger, not because it is running out of money, but because it is running into vultures who want to kill our retirement security so they can feast on the carcass.”

He followed that up by helping organize a youth for social security rally on the New Haven Green with Lisa Bergmann showing the unity of generations in this fight. It was wonderful to hear high school students talk about what Social Security meant to them and their families.

That was in 2005 when George W. Bush had appointed a special commission designed to undermine and privatize Social Security. But Art's statement could have been made today as the MAGA Republican vultures circle.

I'm so proud to be part of ARA in the thick of the fight for the dignity of all to protect and expand Social Security and to eliminate the WEP and GPO (thanks to Mary Elia and Bette for leading that nationally).

This fight can be won if we all stick together. Thank you Recovery for All coalition for organizing that way in this legislative session and beyond. Educators and students and health care workers and immigrant families and racial justice advocates and retirees and the entire labor movement and faith based and community groups Black and Latino and white deciding to stick together.

At our joint ARA and AFSCME retirees meeting in May it was powerful to hear Mairead Painter, CT State Longterm Care Ombudsman say that it was because all the groups working on seniors issues decided to support each others' bills, the whole agenda passed committee led by Rep Gariby. Can you imagine it took all that to require nursing home owners to provide air conditioning in the rooms of people who live there!

The MAGA Republican vultures circling to kill Social Security depend on divide and conquer tactics. They use race baiting, labor hating and red baiting. So we have to be all about unity and solidarity.

During the budget fight when it was said there wasn't money for everything, instead of fighting each other everyone stood together in support of all the needs. Wasn't the beautiful May 17 rally at the capitol powerful? How many were there?

Imagine if that unity sticks, do you think we can elect more working class champions and get rid of the spending cap, tax the rich, enact Medicare for All and meet people's survival needs in the richest state?

Imagine if that unity sticks, do you think we can stop the MAGA Republicans from taking over Congress and the White House and robbing Social Security and all our rights?

I was thinking about what makes ARA so special. It's union power.

Art was part of the original organizing committee of Local 34 at Yale. ( Happy 40th anniversary!) and then part of YURA under Pat Carta's leadership. We saw so many workers at Yale change their thinking as a result of the union experience. Once they saw that collective action can win better working conditions, pay and benefits, they were in.

I always remember one union sister during the recognition strike, I think her name was June. She told Art the union is fine but I'm not going on any picket line. One day after lots of house visits she showed up and started walking the picket line. This was on Whitney Ave at the driveway where delivery trucks came in. One truck turned to try and cross the line. All of a sudden there she was standing in the middle of the driveway arms spread out blocking the truck, “No you don't,” she said. She went on to become a leader in her department.

That understanding of the power of collective action by the multi racial working class doesn't go away after retirement. Retired union members who remain connected to the labor movement are able to carry the message into the community. ARA and all the union retiree organizations can do that.

We can do that in 2024 and beat the circling vultures before they destroy all our rights and our democracy.

In case you can't tell I grew up in a union household. My mother Edie Fishman is here with us in spirit and she's listening on the phone. Can we give her some love? In their youth, Edie and my father George joined those marches that won Social Security and when they moved to Connecticut 30 years ago they added a lot to our CT ARA chapter.

I grew up in a union household, and a Communist household during the repressive era of the 1950s when McCarthyism aimed to crush unions and every progressive challenge to corporate rule. That means I grew up knowing we were on the side of the workers and not the bosses. I grew up on the union picket line at Campbells Soup in Camden New Jersey where my father worked, I grew up marching as part of the civil rights movement. I knew we were on the side of racial justice and equality and not the KKK.

I learned early on that an injustice to anyone is an injustice to everyone and I've tried to live my life that way as did Art.

Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. said in his Time to Break the Silence speech “We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together. And you can't get rid of one without getting rid of the other.” He called for “a radical redistribution of political and economic power.” saying “our weapon is our vote.”

2024 is just around the corner. Now is the time to start talking issues with our retiree members, family and friends so we can stop the circling vultures.

Art always had two tables to sit at when we came to ARA events – the Peoples Center and YURA! I know he's at both tables now and at our side in every fight going forward.

I am so moved by receiving the Kevin Lynch Award. I hope it will make our unity and vision stronger so we can win a better world.

In Memoriam

Be it hereby known to all that:

The Connecticut General Assembly extends its sincerest condolences and expressions of sympathy to:

Joelle Fishman and Family

On the passing of:

Art Perlo, a dearly iconic community activist. Art also affectionately known as our “Gentle Giant” was a multi-layered freedom fighter who danced ever-so-gallantly on the battle field of life. During his journey he blessed the oppressed with his fearless and relentless persuasion to change the direction of those who have been historically left behind. We humbly and emphatically salute him for his courageous and unrelenting resistance on behalf of those he lifted as he climbed. May his memory and legacy forever be a blessing and a beacon of light.

Introduced by: Representative Robyn A. Porter, 94^th District, Senator Gary Winfield, 10^th District

Given this 26^th day of February 2022

Signed:

Senator Martin M. Looney, President Pro Tempore

Representative Matt Ritter, Speaker of the House

Denise W. Merrill, Secretary of the State

In Loving Memory of Art Perlo

November 2, 1947 – December 18, 2021

Art Perlo, a lifelong Communist beloved for his stalwart dedication, modesty, wit, and wisdom, passed away on December 18 after a year-long battle with bladder cancer.

He was the son of Marxist economist Victor Perlo and artist Ellen Perlo, and moved to New Haven in 1975 after living in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, to join his life partner Joelle Fishman, participating in her People Before Profits campaigns for U.S. Congress and mayor.  He served as Ward 24 Co-Chair in New Haven, Connecticut, and executive board member of the Yale Unions Retirees Association. War 24 Alder Evette Hamilton called him a “gentle giant” for his kindness, commitment, humor and broad knowledge that touched the lives of so many in the city, state, and around the country.  An IT worker at Yale’s Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry lab for 35 years, he helped organize and was a founding member of the clerical and technical workers’ union Local 34 Unite Here in 1984. Although not eligible for the union with his managerial and professional job classification, he was appreciated for honoring the strikes of Local 34 and Local 35, joining his co-workers on the picket line for respect and improved wages and benefits. He was an early proponent for restructuring Yale’s hiring practices to open job opportunities for Black and Latino New Haven residents. He helped organize many buses to marches and protests in Washington, D.C., and New York for peace, racial justice, and immigrant rights. Art was deeply respected for his willingness to take on any task, no matter how small, in the community or the union, and for his unwavering commitment to equality, peace, environmental justice, and an end to exploitation to make the world a better place. Rest In Peace Art.

This Celebratory Citation Is Presented By
The Honorable Alder Frank E. Douglass and the Honorable Alder Evette Hamilton

Given this 26th day of February 2022
At Augusta Lewis Troup School
259 Edgewood Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut

Tyisha Walker-Myers
President of the Board

Michael B. Smart
City Town Clerk

VIDEO:

PEOPLE'S WORLD:

Making Good Trouble in Connecticut: Event Celebrates Black History, Honors Activist Art Perlo