The Assembly Judiciary Committee voted unanimously, 7-0, on Thursday to move ahead with a responsible compromise bill that gives Atlantic City the time and support it needs to recover from serious economic challenges brought on by the consolidation of the casino industry.
Speaker Vincent Prieto’s bill, A-3614, has the bipartisan support of the entire Assembly Judiciary Committee. New Jersey State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan testified for the state federation, with unions representing police and firefighters, teachers, city sanitation workers, government employees packing the room to express their support.
“Demonizing unions, dismantling collective bargaining rights, stripping away the voice of local elected officials and disenfranchising voters is no solution to Atlantic City’s fiscal crisis,” Brennan told the panel. “Please remember the principles and the people – ordinary people like you and me trying their best to earn a decent living – that you were elected to represent.”
A rally in Atlantic City earlier in the week drew hundreds of supporters, who marched from Caesars to City Hall to demand that workers’ rights remain intact. Watch our video recapping the march and rally here: