New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech issued the following statement in response to the governor’s disgraceful comments scapegoating union workers for his own failures:
“It’s no secret that Chris Christie has been ‘calling it in’ for close to a year now, relegating the governorship to basically a $175,000 per year no-show job. For that reason, the Legislature is going directly to the citizens to advance common-sense solutions to the state’s most urgent problems. That’s leadership, and the governor should take note.”
“Yesterday, the governor continued to rant about union members. He says it’s their fault the state’s economy is struggling to recover and it’s their fault voters are rejecting his party’s candidates. In the governor’s mind, it’s everyone’s fault except his own, despite the fact that he has been leading the state for six years.”
“Everyone, except Chris Christie, has taken notice of his failed leadership on crucial issues such as the Transportation Trust Fund, job creation and home foreclosures, as well as his overall disastrous record here in New Jersey. The state has failed thousands of Superstorm Sandy victims and the 8,000 casino workers who have been laid off. The entire region is reeling from the economic collapse in Atlantic City.”
“Yet, once again, the governor resorts to inflammatory statements straight out of the Trump playbook in order to divert attention from his numerous failures. It’s disgraceful the way he refers to the state’s working people, including police officers, nurses and teachers. New Jersey needs solutions, not more tired rhetoric blaming middle-class workers and their families.”