Victories:
2008:
Election Day is a breakthrough for Working Families. 80,000 people vote for a Congressional candidate on the Working Families line -- over 5% of the statewide total.
We helped elect Jim Himes in the 4th Congressional District, we provided the margin of victory for three strong progressive candidates for General Assembly, and we made history by electing Urania Petit to the office of Hartford Registrar or Voters -- the first minor party registrar in Connecticut history. Read our full Election Results recap here.
Hartford Working Families members work with the two WFP members of the City Council, Luis Cotto and Dr. Larry Deutsch to stop dramatic cuts to retiree healthcare, protect the city's immigrants, and keep two local libraries open.
Working Families leads major statewide campaign for Paid Sick Days. After getting major media attention, the bill passes in the State Senate, but fails to get called for a vote in the House – but the issue has become a high priority. (Campaign website: www.everybodybenefits.org)
Working Families works with labor and community organizations and House Democratic leadership in support of a healthcare pooling measure, which passed in both the House and Senate, only to be vetoed by the Governor.
2007:
WFP elects two members, Luis Cotto and Dr. Larry Deutsch to the Hartford City Council, and displaces the Republicans as Hartford’s minority party. Opens up a world of possibilities for progressive changes in Hartford.
Working Families helps elect municipal candidates in Norwalk, New Britain, and Waterbury. WFP provides margin of victory in races in Norwalk and New Britain for great candidates. (Read more about cross-endorsement)
Working Families passes a Living Wage bill in Norwalk, the first Living Wage bill in Fairfield County. The bill requires that companies who receive subsidies from the city pay their employees enough to keep a families above poverty.
2006:
Working Families Party helps elect Democrat Chris Murphy to Congress in the 5th Congressional District by knocking on over 10,000 doors in the 5th Congressional District to take back Congress. WFP sends a message about accountability on issues like affordable healthcare, living wage jobs and better schools. The WFP delivered around 6000 votes for Murphy, or nearly 5% of his total. (Read more about cross-endorsement)
Working Families passed a Living Wage law in Manchester, one of very few Living Wage ordinances in Connecticut, lifting many Manchester employees out of poverty. (Take action to restore the Manchester living wage law.)
2005:
Working Families elects Sharon Patterson-Stallings to Hartford School Board, beating chairman of the Republican town committee. Sharon Patterson-Stallings, since elected, has been a spokesperson and activist for quality public education.
Working Families passed a workplace access bill at a Wal-Mart in Hartford making the land surrounding the area public. For the first time, organizers can talk to Wal-Mart workers at the workplace.
In an effort to stop outsourcing jobs from Connecticut, Working Families works with State Representative Joe Aresimowicz to push a bill through the House that would prevent companies from spending taxpayer's money to send jobs out of state and overseas. The bill would give preference to companies that keep their jobs in Connecticut. The Senate did not vote on it.
2004:
Working Families runs the campaign for underdog AFSCME organizer Joe Aresimowicz for State Representative. Since his surprise victory, he’s been one of the most active voices in the House of Representatives to protect workers, fight for affordable healthcare and keep good jobs in Connecticut.
By the end of 2004, just two years after its founding, Working Families is qualified as a party in over 60 districts, making Working Families the fastest growing independent party in the state.
2003:
Working Families elects Deborah Noble and Juan Perez to the Windham Board of Selectmen. The first Working Families members are elected only a year after the formation of the party.
WFP leads site fight to stop Wal-Mart from building a distribution center in Killingly.
2002:
The Connecticut Working Families Party was launched. We ran twenty-five community activists and union members as candidates in state legislative districts and got enough votes to qualify as a minor party in all twenty-five districts.