CSEA Local 2001 proudly sent a strong delegation to the 25th Annual National Association of State Highway and Transportation Unions (NASHTU) Conference, held June 23–25, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The conference brought together public sector transportation unions from across the country to share organizing strategies, confront new federal challenges, and advocate for better funding and staffing in state transportation departments.

Representing Connecticut were Meghan Cahill, Jeff Beckwith, Jan Lawrence, Ned Stanchen, and Daniel Stafko, alongside CSEA Staff Representative Otis Dancy. These dedicated members and staff spent three days engaging with union leaders, policy experts, and elected officials on the most pressing issues facing public transportation workers today.

Participants attended sessions on:

• Federal threats to union rights and funding,

• Strategies for recruitment and organizing across state agencies,

• Building power within public sector unions,

• Updates on the Highway Trust Fund and federal surface transportation legislation, and
• ​Best practices for effective lobbying on Capitol Hill.

CSEA members also joined other delegates for a day of direct advocacy, meeting with members of Congress and their staff to highlight the critical importance of investing in Connecticut’s transportation workforce and infrastructure. They made clear that underfunding and privatization hurt both workers and the public—and that unions are essential to building safe, reliable, and equitable transportation systems.

As Connecticut continues to face the impacts of fiscal constraints and staffing shortages, CSEA’s delegation returned more motivated than ever to organize, educate, and fight for the future of public service.