Unions United for Next Steps in New Jersey

CWA locals statewide and the entire union movement are united in plans to protect collective bargaining, negotiate a fair state contract, save workers' jobs and protect the standard of living of working class families while protecting and maintaining critical services in the state.

In a message to New Jersey public workers, the leaders of nearly every public sector CWA local, District 1 Vice President Chris Shelton and New Jersey Director Hetty Rosenstein described the impact of the anti-worker pension and healthcare bill that destroys public sector collective bargaining in New Jersey. The united union movement will support members of the legislature who stood with workers and remember those who turned their backs.

All 120 members of both houses of the legislature are up for election in November. In the Assembly, 32 Democrats defied Democratic leaders and opposed the bill; in the Senate, 15 Democrats defied their leadership and opposed the bill.

Over many months, CWAers made more than 18,000 phone calls to legislators, joined meetings and events at legislative offices and held nearly a dozen rallies with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and public and private-sector union members throughout the state. About 25 union leaders, including several CWA local union leaders, were arrested when they protested at a Senate budget committee hearing.

The CWA leaders said it was a "dark day" for workers last Thursday when the Assembly voted. "We knew that once this governor was elected that we would have a very tough road. But we are strong, we are united and we are not afraid," they said.

The contract covering 40,000 CWA public workers and other public workers expires today, June 30. CWA, AFSCME, the American Federation of Teachers and Professional and Technical Engineers have submitted a joint health care proposal and will work together toward a new contract. For updates, go to http://www.cwanj.org/news.