Connecticut
Food workers at CT service plazas secure landmark union contract
A first-of-its-kind labor agreement will cover hundreds of fast food workers at 23 Connecticut highway service plazas, marking a rare union foothold in the fast food industry and a milestone for labor organizers nationwide.
The deal, reached between 32BJ SEIU and Applegreen, the primary operator of the plazas, runs from April 1, 2026, through March 1, 2031, and follows years of organizing and worker complaints about wages and conditions. Applegreen did not respond to a request for comment.
Gov. Ned Lamont, who helped broker the contract, praised the agreement, saying the workers “deserve good pay and benefits” and calling the contract recognition of the role they play serving travelers across the state.
“For these fast food workers who work in the Connecticut rest stop plazas, the chance to have a union is something pretty unique for this group of workers,” said Manny Pastreich, president of 32BJ SEIU.
“There are basically no fast food workers in this country who have union representation,” Pastreich said.
The agreement covers workers at plazas along Interstate 95, the Merritt Parkway and other major corridors, after a campaign that began in 2019 and culminated in a union vote late last year.
More predictable schedules, more control over daily life
The contract guarantees more consistent hours and advance scheduling, addressing one of the most common concerns among fast food workers.
“People can know what their hours are in advance. They can get the hours they need and can depend on,” Pastreich said.
Pastreich said predictable scheduling will bring immediate stability to workers who often struggle with inconsistent hours.
“Something that so many of us take for granted is having control over the schedule of our lives, often in the fast food industry is not true,” he said. “So I think that this is a huge step forward.”
He said that stability can help workers manage child care, attend school and better plan their daily lives.
Addressing long-standing workplace concerns
Workers began organizing in 2019 after raising concerns about pay, benefits and working conditions, including allegations of substandard wages and unsafe environments.
The agreement also creates formal workplace protections, including a grievance process, arbitration rights and stronger enforcement of wage standards under state law.
“They 1774882326 have a process to fix problems big and small,” Pastreich said.
“The other thing they have is the 6,000 members in Connecticut of 32BJ and the entire labor movement now behind them,” he said.
Pastreich said that broader support can be critical when serious issues arise on the job.
Could this deal reshape organizing in fast food?
The agreement comes as labor groups search for ways to organize in an industry that has historically resisted unionization.
“The issue of why workers in America don’t have a union has nothing to do with the fact that they don’t want the union,” Pastreich said. “The real challenge to winning the union is overcoming intense employer opposition.”
Pastreich said the Connecticut deal could serve as a model for similar efforts elsewhere.
“I think this group of 300 workers … that’s what 32BJ does … is stand there to give those workers a voice on the job that, alone, they really wouldn’t be able to make the change that they want,” he said.
Immigrant workers at the center of the effort
Pastreich says immigrant workers played a central role in organizing the service plaza workforce, reflecting broader trends within the union.
“At this moment of time when the federal administration is attacking immigrants and trying to drive divisions …our union…was founded by immigrants,” Pastreich said.
“It has always been a majority immigrant union, and continues to this day to be a majority immigrant union,” he said.
“That is who we are…and honestly, are the backbone of the work that this country does,” Pastreich said.
This story was first published March 27, 2026 by Connecticut Public.
Connecticut
Florida High School State Bronze Medalist Dajah German Verbals To Connecticut For Fall 2027
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Florida high school state bronze medalist Dajah German has announced her verbal commitment to swim and study at the University of Connecticut beginning in the fall of 2027. She publicized the news on SwimCloud, writing:
I am so excited to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career at the University of Connecticut! I’m incredibly grateful for everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, my family, coaches, teammates, and friends who have pushed me to be my best throughout the years. And a very special thank you to Coach Chris and Coach Nicole for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I’m so excited for what’s ahead. GO HUSKIES!
A rising senior at Fort Lauderdale High School in Florida, German trains year-round with Swim Fort Lauderdale and primarily specializes in the sprint and middle-distance freestyle events.
German has improved each year of her high school career, most recently dropping from 23.78, 51.39, and 1:50.56 in the 50/100/200 free to 23.54, 51.35, and 1:49.69 during the 2025-26 short course season.
German’s top meet of the season was the Florida Senior Championships in March, where she recorded her current PBs in both the 50 and 200 free. She finished second in the 500 free (4:55.94) and 1650 free (17:02.78), third in both the 50 free and 200 free, and fifth in the 100 free (51.43). She set her current 100 free PB at a smaller holiday meet in December. In the 500 free, she clocked a season-best 4:55.21 at the Speedo Cup in January, with her lifetime best of 4:53.19 coming at the 2025 Florida Senior Championships.
German has qualified for the FHSAA (Florida High School Athletic Association) State Championships for the past three years, with her top performance coming at the 2025 iteration in November. She placed third in the 50 free (23.96), fifth in the 500 free (5:01.12), and helped Fort Lauderdale to fourth place in both the 200 free relay (24.64 leadoff) and 400 free relay (53.08 anchor).
Top SCY Times:
- 50 Freestyle: 23.54
- 100 Freestyle: 51.35
- 200 Freestyle: 1:49.69
- 500 Freestyle: 4:53.19
A Division I Mid-Major program, Connecticut competes in the Big East, with the women’s team placing second out of seven teams at this past season’s conference championships. German’s current lifetime bests would have placed third in the 200 free, fourth in the 500 free, eighth in the 50 free, and ninth in the 100 free, setting her up as an immediate contributor with two full seasons of training still ahead before her first conference meet.
German joins Anna Mumford, Lyla Devlin, Lena Brown, and Louisa Holda in committing to the Huskies’ class of 2031 so far.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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Here are the forecast details for northern Connecticut via the National Weather Service:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 80. Light west wind increasing to 6 to 11 mph in the morning.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Monday: A chance of showers before 2pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2pm and 4pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 4pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 59. Southeast wind around 8 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
WASHINGTON (7News) — A Park Police chase ends with a moped rider getting hit and killed on the Taft Bridge in Northwest D.C.
7News’ Washington, D.C. reporter, Phylicia Ashley, went to the scene moments after it happened Saturday evening and spoke to multiple witnesses.
Ximen DeFillippes was riding her bike near Woodley Road when she saw the chase.
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“The Park Police passed me. We were on Woodley Road. And then I saw the car they were pursuing,” said DeFillippes. “It was going very fast on the sidewalk. It drove up on the sidewalk up Woodley Road.”
DeFilippes was on one side of the Taft Bridge.
“I’d never seen anything that crazy,” said DeFillippes. “It was, it was like really like homicidal. It was just insane. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
7News also saw the aftermath of the chase and found Lamont Penry on the other side of the bridge. He also saw the chase. It ended on the steps of the Chinese Embassy staff housing.
“The car crashed into the diplomatic car,” Penry said. “A young man jumps out, takes off running down the street. The other three guys came out kind of dizzy. They apprehended one who was on the bench. One was at the rear. Tire of the vehicle, looked to be a Camry, and the other was on the other side of the diplomatic car.”
In the middle of the bridge, 7News saw the victim’s body covered by a white sheet. Witnesses said that when the chase reached the Taft Bridge, one of the vehicles involved struck someone riding a scooter.
“Once the gentleman on the bridge was hit. We realized that no one stopped,” said Penry. “Police continued the pursuit until here, and then they turned around.”
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Penry said all the alleged suspects involved looked young. While on scene, 7News saw one person get arrested and placed in an ambulance.
DeFilippes was riding her bike when she said two cars blocked her from getting caught in the midst of the chase.
“I’m feeling lucky that for those few seconds of my path being kind of blocked,” said DeFillippes. “I’m just so glad that happened. Or else I would have been right there. I’m not at all surprised that someone was hurt. Just. Just from the way everything was unfolding, I could just tell it was going to be bad.
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