Labor Fax
Labor Fax is a regular newsletter updating the New Jersey Labor movement of the successes and ongoing activities of the NJ AFL-CIO.
2008
 27th Constitutional Convention Wrap-Up  July 2, 2008 The New Jersey State AFL-CIO 27th Constitutional Convention was one of our most successful, productive Conventions to date, all because of your dedication and commitment to our State’s Labor Movement. We are humbled by your vote of confidence in our leadership and we vow to continue to make the next four years, a time of change and growth. |
| PAID FAMILY LEAVE VICTORY April 11, 2008 After working tirelessly towards Paid Family Leave legislation for over a decade, our New Jersey Labor movement stood triumphant this Monday, as New Jersey’s State Senate passed a bill extending the federal unpaid leave law to provide six weeks of paid leave to New Jersey workers needing to care for a newborn baby, adopted child, or a seriously ill family member. New Jersey will be the third state to enact paid family leave legislation, which will be funded through a 64 cents-per-week employee contribution starting January 1, 2009, and eligible for utilization on July 1, 2009.
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| DIALOGUE ON DEBT REDUCTION IN NEW JERSEY February 22, 2008 Governor Jon S. Corzine began a tour of our State,last month, meeting with an unprecedented number of New Jerseyans, to introduce and gain feedback on his Financial Restructuring and Debt Reduction Proposal that would pay down half of the state's debt and fund transportation projects for a generation. With each man, woman and child in New Jersey personally owning $3,700 of our State’s $32 billion bonded debt (the third highest amount in the country), New Jersey is facing true fiscal crisis. This situation didn’t happen overnight, and won’t be fixed overnight either. A solution will require tough choices, unconventional thought, and in some cases, ideas that we won’t all see eye-to-eye on. What we do all agree on is, if the finances of the State are not corrected, our State, and, most importantly, our children, will not have the same opportunities that our infrastructure have provided to us. |
| WORKING FAMILIES VOTE! January 25, 2008 Last summer, the AFL-CIO Executive Council decided to hold off on making an endorsement of a single candidate for President, vowing instead to focus on preparations for the greatest involvement ever by working voters in the crucial 2008 elections. With this in mind, and with the move of New Jersey’s Presidential Primary Election to an earlier date this year, our State’s Primary outcome will have a stronger influence on determining the Presidential Candidates, and, ultimately, greater implications on determining Labor’s Endorsed Presidential Candidate. |
2007
| REFLECTIONS - 2007 December 28, 2007 As we reflect on all that our State’s labor movement has accomplished, we remember facing these challenges and opportunities together. In partnership with our Central Labor Councils, Building Trades Councils, affiliates and coalition partners, we organized more workers into unions; elected pro-working family legislators; successfully lobbied for legislation that protects and benefits all working families; and provided more training programs to workers throughout the State. |
| IN NEW JERSEY, WE'RE ALWAYS ON November 7, 2007
With political campaigning taking a year off in all but three states this year, much of the attention of the labor movement nationwide turned to New Jersey to see what impact labor can have on politics in an off-year election.
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| Labor Day Message August 29, 2007 Based on current estimates, more than 47 million Americans currently lack health insurance and are unable to afford either routine wellness visits or emergency medical care. Furthermore, even for many with insurance, co-pays and deductibles associated with their plan put necessary care out of reach, and insurance providers, more interested in turning a profit than providing care, continue to expand their lists of non-covered procedures. |
| SUMMER DAYS OF ACTION August 1, 2007 The New Jersey State AFL-CIO, and our affiliated unions, continue to be busy working towards our goal of growing the labor movement. In Atlantic City, thousands of casino gaming employees continue to fight for their right to form unions and enjoy the benefits of a voice at work, while in Newark, members of UNITE HERE 284 underwent training courtesy of our OSHEP department so that they can work safer on the job. We also recognize that while many view Labor Day as the traditional start of the campaign season, now is the time that we must start preparing for this fall’s elections. We encourage all of our affiliates to spend this time updating lists and registering union voters. Only if we do this important work now can we achieve the same success for Labor 2007 as we have in our political programs for the past 10 years. |
| GET WELL SOON! April 18, 2007 Since he entered public life with a run for the U.S. Senate in 2000 Governor Corzine has proven himself to be a true friend of working families and a tireless advocate for the residents of our great state. During this difficult time we want him to know that the labor movement is united in wishing him a full recovery. |
| BUILDING NEVER STOPS February 28, 2007 The opening months of 2007 have brought a flurry of organizing activity to the labor movement here in New Jersey. As you’ll see on the following pages, thousands of workers across the State are exercising their right to form a union, and we are proud to join in their efforts. |
2006
| LOOKING BACK...MOVING FORWARD December 31, 2006 With labor leaders across the nation still debating the future of the labor movement at the national level, no one was quite sure what 2006 would bring to unions and working families. |
| UNITED LABOR MOVEMENT DELIVERS VICTORY November 4, 2006 More so than in any other election in recent memory, this year’s race for the United State Senate pitted against each other two candidates that couldn’t have been further apart on the issues. Labor’s endorsed candidate, Senator Bob Menendez, has spent his entire career serving the working families that have elected him to represent them from the school board level all the way up to the House of Representatives. His opponent, however, has chosen a different path and has voted wrong on important working family issues such as the minimum wage and social security. There was never a doubt that he would be nothing more than another rubber stamp for the failed Administration of George Bush.
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| LABOR DAY MESSAGE August 31, 2006 The attacks on New York and Washington, D.C. in 2001, and the ensuing 'War on Terror' has caused the federal government's attention to be placed almost exclusively on foreign policy and homeland security for much of the last five years. With ever advancing technology making our world smaller, a growing desire by extremists to do harm to innocent people and an increased belief that we are more susceptible than ever to additional attacks, it is difficult to blame lawmakers, the media, or average citizens for allowing discussions on important domestic policies to be placed on the back burner.
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| JUST GETTING STARTED July 19, 2006 With the budget debate taking us into July this year it seemed as though summer would never come. Never have we looked forward more to the lazy days of July and August when we can sit back, enjoy all that our great state has to offer and try to recharge our batteries. Unfortunately, even with the hot, hazy days of summer upon us, there is still no time to rest for the labor movement.
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| FIRST HUNDRED DAYS April 27, 2006 With the first hundred days as Governor now behind him, it seems very clear that Jon Corzine is remaining true to his commitment to remain sensitive to the needs of New Jersey’s working families.
In this short amount of time, he has already taken important steps to shore up the Transportation Trust Fund (TTF), lent his support to the innovative NJ PLACE program and worked hard to ensure the success of the first-in-the-nation Security Awareness and Preparedness training program developed to protect the workers at and communities around our state’s many chemical and petroleum facilities.
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| BUILDING NEVER STOPS March 30, 2006 A recent report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that union membership grew by 46,000 members in 2006 making New Jersey the fourth most densely organized state in the nation. This statistic is a clear indication that even with the current disagreement about the future of the AFL-CIO in Washington D.C., the labor movement remains stronger than ever in New Jersey.
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| A NEW BEGINNING February 24, 2006 With 12 bills supported by labor signed into law, an additional sixty rank-and-file union members elected to public office, thousands of new members added to our labor family and the continued expansion of our Occupational Safety and Health Education Program last year, it is hard to imagine that this year can be as successful as last.
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2005
| YEAR IN REVIEW 2005 December 31, 2005 2005 is drawing to a close and now is a perfect opportunity for us to look back over the past 12 months and reflect on all that the New Jersey labor movement accomplished. Together we achieved many victories this year: the overwhelming election of Jon Corzine as our State’s 53rd Governor, passage of legislation raising the minimum wage and banning the off-shoring of State-funded service contracts, and numerous organizing victories allowing thousands of new workers to enjoy a voice at work.
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| ELECTION WRAP 2005 November 4, 2005 Last night we celebrated a great victory with the election of Jon Corzine as New Jersey’s Governor. With issues such as job creation, health care reform, retirement security, and property tax relief weighing so heavily on the minds of working families across the State, there is no doubt that we elected the right candidate for the job. In Jon Corzine we elected a public servant who has achieved a 100% working family voting record in the U.S. Senate, a leader with the ability to move our State forward, and a Statesman who will crush the culture of corruption many feel currently plagues our government.
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| STRENGTH IN UNITY September 1, 2005 Labor Day is upon us, and with it the usually slow months of summer come to an end. As the days grow shorter and the weather becomes cooler, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor 2005 program is just heating up!
Over the past several weeks, coming off the unprecedented disaffiliation of three of the AFL-CIO’s largest unions many questions have been raised about how effective labor can be in this year’s elections.
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| OUR SECRET FOR SUCCESS August 8, 2005 It is hard to believe that we are already midway through summer. 2005 has already proven to be a successful year for the labor movement here in New Jersey, and we have all of you to thank for that! The commitment and dedication our members and affiliated unions have for our State’s working families certainly cannot be matched by any other interest group, trade organization or business association.
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| EVERY VOTE COUNTS April 11, 2005 While we have joined with the labor movement across the country to oppose President Bush’s proposal to privatize social security, right here in New Jersey we find ourselves engaged in a campaign to protect the retirement benefits of public employees enrolled in the Public Employee Retirement System. With two candidates endorsed by our Public Employees Council, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO has launched an active campaign to support our union brothers seeking election to the PERS Board of Trustees. |
| BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTION RESULTS EDITION April 2, 2005 Voters across the State went to the polls yesterday to select representatives to their local school boards. School Board members not only play an important role in the education of our children, but also, act on issues related to employee contracts and school construction. These issues in particular are important to union members in New Jersey represented by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud of all of the rank-and-file union members that sought election to give New Jersey’s working families a stronger voice on these important matters.
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| TAKING AWAY SECURITY March 31, 2005 For seventy years social security has provided retired and disabled workers a guaranteed income, and in many cases, has been the safety net which has kept its recipients from falling into poverty. Now, in his first major assault against working families in his second term, President Bush has announced plans to reform this program.
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| THE SHORTEST MONTH? February 18, 2005 This month started with an announcement by Governor Codey that he would not seek the Democratic Party’s nomination for Governor. This decision clears the path for Senator Jon Corzine to run in the November 2005 general election. Governor Codey has committed his entire career to the people of New Jersey and is to be commended for all that he has accomplished.
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| A NEW BEGINNING January 5, 2005 The new year has begun, bringing with it new opportunities to improve the lives of New Jersey’s working families. Working together the labor movement in New Jersey accomplished so much in 2004, yet there is still so much left for us to do in 2005
Legislatively, we will continue to work towards implementing public policy that is good for the more than one million members and 1,000 local unions that we represent. Among other issues, we will continue to push for passage of legislation allowing the card check method of organizing, search for opportunities to increase access to and the affordability of health insurance and prescription drugs, and work with Governor Codey and the State Legislature to raise the minimum wage.
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2004
| ANOTHER YEAR OVER December 31, 2004 In just over a week we will be closing the door on 2004 and welcoming in 2005. This has certainly been an eventful year here in New Jersey, and one that we will recall proudly for all that we accomplished!
In the following pages you will see some of the highlights of the year ending. Month by month you will see that the labor movement in New Jersey was successful at moving forward the agenda of New Jersey’s working families. Whether we were supporting legislation, working to elect labor-friendly candidates, or standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters across the state it is clear that there is no slow season for the labor movement in our state!
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| ‘TIS THE SEASON December 1, 2004 Thanksgiving is behind us, decorations are up and trees are lit, and the malls are packed with parents shopping for their children and children hoping to meet Santa. It’s the holiday season again!
Between holiday parties and wish lists, eggnog and mistletoe, it is easy for us to get caught up in the craziness of the season and forget what the holidays are really about. No matter which holiday you celebrate this time of year, it is important that we all remember that holidays are about family, and families are about togetherness.
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| OUR VOICES WERE HEARD! November 17, 2004 We went into this year’s election knowing that the stakes were going to be high. Halting the exportation of union jobs, increasing the number of families with access to affordable health care, and protecting our overtime pay and right to organize were just a few of the issues we were taking on when we launched our Labor 2004 program.
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| THE TIME IS NOW! October 29, 2004 For six months the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, along with our Central Labor Councils and local affiliated unions, have invested a tremendous amount of time, energy and effort into the election of Senator John Kerry to the White House.
We have worked hard to make sure that on Tuesday we help elect a President who will be committed to the needs of working families and not responsive to the demands of corporate America. We know that in John Kerry we will have a President that will create jobs, increase accessibility to and the affordability of health care, protect our overtime pay, and respect our right to join a union.
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| BY THE NUMBERS October 13, 2004 We have all heard reports about the incredible amounts of money that go into political campaigns, and have often wondered where these dollars come from and how they are spent. It will probably come as no surprise that the money raised from Big Business far out-distances that which comes from working families. In fact, in 2002, corporate interests outspent union members in political contributions 12 to 1! They spent over $700 million while we spent just over $60 million.
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| NOT IN PLAY? September 29, 2004 Throughout this campaign we have heard that New Jersey is a “safe state” and that the Presidential campaigns would not be putting a whole lot of resources into our efforts. If recent history is any indication, our state’s 15 electoral votes should be an automatic for the Kerry/Edwards ticket.
However, as anyone watching the polls can see, Senator Kerry and President Bush seem to be running neck and neck here. Whether you believe the polls or not, one thing is for sure, the labor movement here in New Jersey cannot afford to take anything for granted for the next 34 days.
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| ARE YOU READY? September 15, 2004 The future of the labor movement in New Jersey, and across the United States, may very well be determined in less than two months. And, that means we have less than two months to show our neighbors, friends and family members, not to mention all of our union brothers and sisters, why they must vote for Senator John Kerry for President.
In addition to sending the Kerry/Edwards team to the White House, this year’s political program will also assist in the elections of Congressional candidates, a State Senator, and 32 rank and file union members seeking office around the state.
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| LABOR DAY 2004 September 1, 2004 Over 100 years ago, recognizing the contribution workers made to America, Congress passed a law designating the first Monday of September as Labor Day. Soon after, Samuel Gompers, founder and longtime President of the American Federation of Labor, said that Labor Day was different than other holidays which are "more or less connected with conflicts and battles."
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| THINGS ARE HEATING UP! August 11, 2004 After nearly two years of constant campaigning for the chance to get President Bush out of the White House, the Democratic Party officially nominated Senator John Kerry to carry the Party’s banner into this November’s election. As we saw at our own Convention in Atlantic City, Senator Kerry is certainly up to the challenge.
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| FEELING THE HEAT July 14, 2004 A thank you is in order to all of our members, guests and friends that attended the New Jersey State AFL-CIO 26th Constitutional Convention. The three day event gave all of us an opportunity to celebrate the victories the Labor Movement has achieved in the last four years here in New Jersey, and to look forward to the work that still needs to be done.
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| LAZY DAYS OF SUMMER? June 2, 2004 To many, Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer. The weather’s right, the grass is green, and the vacations we have planned since last summer are just around the corner. However, for the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, our 1,000 affiliates, and one million members, there is a lot of work that has to be done in the coming months.
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| PROTECTING OUR FUTURE May 19, 2004 Congratulations are in order for all of the Democratic candidates who threw their hats in the ring to take on a President whose policies have set our nation backwards. Each of them laid out a vision to help move America into the second half of the first decade in this new millennium. While it is clear that Senator Kerry’s record of accomplishment over the years has resonated with the most voters during the primary season, we must remember that it is the result of November’s election which will ultimately help to get America back on track.
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