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General News
September 5, 2008
NEW JERSEY STATE AFL-CIO LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 7 – 8, 2008
CONFERENCE UPDATE:
HOTEL SPACE IS LIMITED!
The 2008 election has uplifted and energized our electoral spirit, and that energy is spilling over into our conference! We are proud to announce a number of captivating speakers who will be sharing their ideas and visions with us. New York Times Reporter Steven Greenhouse will be joining us to discuss his new book “The Big Squeeze: Tough Times for the American Worker,” and Ron Blackwell, Chief Economist of the AFL-CIO will share his presentation on economics that has been receiving rave reviews in union halls and venues across the country.
We are also very pleased to announce that our invited keynote speakers will include:
Governor Jon Corzine
U.S. Senator Joseph Biden
Arlene Holt-Baker, Executive Vice President AFL-CIO
September 2, 2008
Is New Jersey’s Minimum Wage Too Low?
Did you know?
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In 2007, the overall cost of living in New Jersey was the fourth highest in the nation, yet as of June 2008, 14 states plus the District of Columbia have a higher minimum wage.*
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Based upon legislation already enacted and inflation projections, by 2010, New Jersey will rank 17th in regard to the minimum wage level.*
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New Jersey is one of ten states with the largest increase in income disparity since the late 1980s. It is ninth in the growth of inequality between the top and bottom earners, and seventh in growth of inequality between high and middle income residents.*
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Although New Jersey is one of the more progressive states in the nation, it has yet to act on indexing the minimum wage – ten other states, many of which have a significantly lower cost of living, have already done so.*
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According to a report issued in April 2008, in New Jersey 20% of workers do not earn enough to afford the most basic essentials, including housing and food. The study specifies that the lowest hourly wage in which a single worker with no children can earn in order to afford these essentials in the least expensive county in the state is $8.58.*
The New Jersey Minimum Wage Advisory Committee (MWAC) is seeking comment on the adequacy of the minimum wage in the State. The Commission will meet in September to examine the testimony and will then issue its annual report to the Legislature with a recommendation.
If you are interested in letting Commission members, including the New Jersey Department of Labor Commissioner know your opinion on this very important issue, please submit written comments to the MWAC, no later than September 7, 2008, either via email to NJMWAC@dol.state.nj.us or through the regular mail to the following address: Shelly Friedman, Executive Assistant, Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Office of Labor Standards and Safety Enforcement, P.O. Box 054, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0054.
To view the New Jersey’s State AFL-CIO testimony to the MWAC, CLICK HERE.
*To view sources for this information, please click on the above link.
August 20, 2008
ACTION ALERT FOR WORKPLACE SAFETY AND HEALTH
The U.S. Department of Labor has submitted a secret proposal for a new rule that would change the requirements for DOL Agencies Assessment of Occupational Health Risks. These new requirements would dictate the development of health standards that regulate occupational exposure to toxic substances and hazardous chemicals.
In layman terms, this proposed rule would change exposure limits that are now based on lifetime exposure to exposure limits based on worker retention. If you worked at five different facilities in your lifetime with a toxic chemical, for example, your health and safety at work would not be protected. This proposed rule would also allow additional challenges to agency risk assessments.
Numerous letters and statements have been issued by labor organizations, community groups and scientists who are unified in condemning this proposed rule as a “parting gift” from the Bush Administration to industry. In anticipation of just such opposition, news of this proposed rulemaking was not made public until after the deadline for submittal of proposed rules had passed. Senator Edward Kennedy, Chair of the Senate Labor Committee and Representative George Miller, Chair of the House Labor and Education Committee are fighting hard to prevent the DOL from finalizing this rule.
You can find more information on this important development on the web by visiting DefendingScience.org where you will find links for the actual proposed rule as well as a timeline of the measures that labor, congressional representatives and the scientific community are taking in opposition of this rule.
We urge you to contact your elected representatives to take action and defeat this attempt at a fundamentally flawed rule that means to hurt working families. Your action now will ensure our collective victory in the fight to stop erosion of workers’ rights by the Bush Administration.
August 18, 2008
12TH ANNUAL LABOR CANDIDATES SCHOOL
The Eagleton Institute hosted the 12th Annual Labor Candidates School of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO this past weekend, from Saturday, August 16 to Sunday, August 17th. Twenty-two rank-and-file union members running for local office participated in interactive exercises and heard from leading experts on fundraising, election law, research, message development, public speaking, media relations, voter contact, volunteer recruitment, targeting, and get-out-the-vote efforts.
The Labor Candidates School is the cornerstone of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO’s successful COPE program. Since the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor Candidates program began in 1997, union members have won 499 elections to public office. This years graduates will surely include our 500th union member elected to public office through the labor candidates program!
June 26, 2008
NJ State AFL-CIO ENDORSES OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT
Vocal Support for Labor Issues & Message of Change Illustrates Strong Contrast with the Anti-Labor McCain / Bush Agenda
Trenton- With over 1 million members, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO today announced its endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President. The national AFL-CIO also endorsed the Senator earlier in the day.
“If New Jersey’s working families ever needed a change in direction, a change we can believe in, the time is now more than ever,” said New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech. “There is a very clear contrast with the divisive politics of the past, represented by John McCain and George Bush, and the politics of inclusion that embraces social and economic justice for the workers of this state, represented by Senator Obama.”
Senator Obama has earned a 98% AFL-CIO voting record as a U.S. senator, compared to 16% for Senator McCain. More information can be found at www.MeetObama08.com.
Wowkanech continued, “The policy positions offered this year gives voters a very clear choice. Senator Obama has proposed balancing our tax policies to benefit the middle class, whereas McCain will continue the Bush tax cuts for only the wealthiest Americans. Senator Obama supports the Employee Free Choice Act, which will allow workers to freely join a union without employer intimidation and harassment. McCain voted against that bill. Senator Obama has a realistic, affordable health care plan to cover all Americans while McCain’s plan continues the failed polices of the Bush Administration.”
The endorsement of the State Federation follows a unanimous recommendation of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Executive Board and over 600 delegates who voted in support of the Illinois Senator on June 11, 2008, in Atlantic City at the 27th Annual Constitutional Convention.
Legislation News
May 2, 2008
Paid Family Leave Legislation Signed into Law
We are proud that New Jersey has become the third state in the nation to pass Paid Family Leave Legislation. This is a much needed and long overdue policy for New Jersey’s working families and we hope that other state’s, and eventually the federal government, will pursue and enact this pro-family policy.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO would like to thank Governor Corzine who signed the bill into law on May 2, 2008, for his long time advocacy, as well as Senate President Codey and Speaker Roberts for posting this legislation. We also would like to thank all the legislators that voted in favor of this bill, as well as the sponsors. In particular, we would like to thank Senator Steve Sweeney and Assemblyman Nelson Albano for their strong leadership and dedication on this issue.
Finally, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks all affiliated local unions that lobbied in support of Paid Family Leave, as well as the members of the New Jersey Partnership for Working Families Coalition. Together, we have achieved a strong victory for the workers of New Jersey.
Click here for the Assembly Vote Tally and Senate Vote Tally.
Election News
May 14, 2008
499 LABOR CANDIDATE VICTORIES!
Voters in several New Jersey municipalities went to the polls yesterday to elect members on non-partisan city councils. Working in partnership with the Central Labor Councils, Building Trades Councils, and affiliated unions, 4 out of 5 union members were elected, bringing the total number of rank-and-file union members elected to public office since 1997 to 499.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud of all the rank-and-file union members who seek election to public office through the Labor Candidates Program. Through each union member’s election to public office, the voice of New Jersey’s working families continues to grow stronger. Following is a list of the successful candidates.
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Name
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Union
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Council
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Tana Raymond
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AFT 3997
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Garfield Council
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Edward Conrow
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IAFF S-18
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Vineland Council
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John Moran
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IBEW 351
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Delran Council
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Donna Williams
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OPEIU 153
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Orange Council
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Working together, the voice of working families will continue to be heard at the polls.
Organizing News
August 4, 2008
150 Heldrich Center Employees Gain a VOICE AT WORK
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is so pleased to welcome, into our labor family, hotel employees at the Heldrich Hotel and Conference Center in New Brunswick, NJ. The employees voted to gain a voice at work by joining thousands of other New Jersey hotel workers as members of UNITE HERE! On Friday, August 1, 2008, an arbitrator declared an "overwhelming majority" in favor of the union, as 150 hotel workers joined UNITE HERE. After their celebration in the staff cafeteria, workers declared, “Let's get started on our union contract!” We congratulate and welcome our newest brothers and sisters, and support them through their first contract negotiation!