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The Connecticut CPUSA convention on April 25, 2010 was extraordinary. The enthusiasm and commitment of the members was contagious. The Black, Latino, white, young, old, female, male working class composition was beautiful. The focus on the 2010 elections, movement for jobs and building the Party showed how we can make a difference.

The convention reflected on 30 years of organizing based on neighborhood, workplace and industrial concentration policies utilizing our press at the center of outreach, recruiting and coalition building. Clubs shared their experiences of how family, friends and co-workers have joined and how they have participated in local struggles. When the president of the state labor federation greeted us he appreciated that and spelled out the work for the 2010 elections expecting we would be fully involved.

When our allies joined us for the afternoon panel and newsmaker awards, the key industrial union in the state expressed honor at recognition from us, remembering the paper in the union hall and us on the picket lines during a big battle 23 years ago. The crowd at the Peoples Center extended into the hallway, up the stairs and out front.

We are discussing this experience and drawing lessons from it for our ongoing work. Due to word limits for discussion submissions, our convention report is divided into three sections: an excerpt from the opening report, the organizing report and this which is the three resolutions submitted by the outgoing State Committee to the Connecticut convention and adopted unanimously. They project the main struggles going forward, and ideas that our delegates will carry from our experiences to the 29th National Convention of the Communist Party USA.

1. Unity in 2010 – Stop the Hate and Lies

The corporate right-wing Republicans and Tea Party are waging a racist hate and fear campaign of lies in their drive to take back Congress.

They are targeting Connecticut’s open US Senate seat and the 4th, 5th and 2nd Congressional Districts. These members of Congress led in the fight for passage of health care reform and aid to cities and states for relief from the economic crisis.

We join with our friends in the labor movement and community to stand firm for the needs of working people, peace and social progress and commit ourselves to defeat the right-wing Republicans and Tea Party.

2. Good Green Jobs for All to Solve the Economic Crisis

Connecticut families, cities and our country are being devastated by the economic crisis. For youth the situation is grim. In the Black and Latino communities unemployment is highest. The time for bold action to stop layoffs and create new good jobs is now.

Our state faces a $4.3 billion budget hole. Laying off state workers and cutting vital services is not an answer. Connecticut is the wealthiest state with several of the poorest cities. We support the Better Choices coalition and others working for a more progressive tax system to create necessary revenue to stem the budget hole with a tax surcharge on the portion of incomes over $250.000.

Massive federal public works job creation and aid to states and cities are key to creating economic stability in Connecticut and everywhere. We affirm our support for the Local Jobs for America Act to create one million jobs immediately and for the five point program of the AFL-CIO including emergency relief, aid to states and cities, school personnel and construction, creation of public works jobs and making the banks pay which will be represented in many pieces of legislation.

Money to put America back to work should come from taxing the rich and corporations that have benefited from the crisis, and by shifting military spending into conversion of industry and the economy for creation of good, green jobs.

In Connecticut, practical studies on implementation of conversion of military production into environmental green production could save and create thousands of unionized jobs. and leave our economy on a stronger footing.

Putting America back to work in African American and Latino communities where unemployment is highest is a top priority. In New Haven, the former Winchester complex must be held accountable to open up jobs with training and upgrading for the surrounding Newhallville neighborhood.

Unity of all workers is necessary to achieve positive change. As long as any group of workers is treated as second tier, all workers suffer. The 1,000 people from New Haven who went to the capitol for “Immigration Reform for New Americans and Economic Justice for All Americans” shows support for legalization and immigration reform as part of bringing the country out of economic crisis.

Circulation of articles about the movement for jobs in the People’s World / Mundo Popular can help to enlarge the movement and encourage more organizing of local actions, marches, rallies and events.

The economic crisis and the critical 2010 elections are bound up together. The issue is not a budget deficit as the corporate right wing declares. The issue is restoring the livelihoods of working people and thereby stopping the crisis.

The campaign for good, green jobs is a locally-based national movement. It relates to all other issues. The campaign must be taken door-to-door, workplace by workplace, school by school.

We call upon our members of Congress, and elected officials at all levels of government to support and respond to the need for big, bold job creation to stop the economic crisis and meet the needs of communities and the country.

3. Build the Party, YCL, People’s World / Mundo Popular

A large and strong Communist Party is a basic contribution to building the broad labor and people’s alliance needed today, while also laying the groundwork for a future movement for more fundamental change – socialism.

We bring a special message of unity because we see the common bond of all working people struggling against the racism exploitation and militarism of the corporations and the capitalist system.

For three decades in Connecticut we have been growing at the roots and expanding upward from there to support and strengthen the movements and coalitions for the needs and rights of all working people.

Just as the strength of a mighty oak tree comes from its well-planted roots, our clubs, rooted in neighborhoods and workplaces, have brought strength to the labor and community struggles where we take part.

We are committed to continue this method of work. We have built upward and grown by developing relationships on weekly People’s World routes in neighborhoods, and also in workplaces.

We look forward to continuing to build upward as we expand our roots into new parts of our state, nurture the roots in our existing clubs, and bring unity to the giant election and economic struggles of 2010.

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