Legislation Raising the Minimum Wage Approved by Two Committees
Bills Concerning Wage Theft, Paid Family Leave Reform and Assistance to Furloughed Workers Also Advance
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO thanks the first prime Sponsor of S-15, Senate President Sweeney (D-3), for his leadership on behalf of the working poor of New Jersey. Today, the Senate Appropriations Committee voted to approve legislation that would increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024. The bill was released mostly along party lines, with Democrats Sarlo (D-36), Cunningham (D-31), Ruiz (D-29), Greenstein (D-14), Beach (D-6), Cruz-Perez (D-5) and Cryan (D-20) voting Yes. Republicans O’Scanlon (R-13), Thompson (R-12) and Oroho (R-24) voted No. Sen. Addiego (R-8) abstained. Sen. Andrzejczak (D-1) was the only Democrat to vote against raising the minimum wage. The bill also cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee along a party line 7-4 vote.
The Senate Appropriations Committee also advanced legislation to improve the Paid Family Leave Insurance Program (S-2528: Sweeney / Diegnan / Ruiz), a longtime priority of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO. That vote was also along party lines with all Republicans opposing or abstaining and all Democrats supporting.
Also released from the same committee was S-1790, sponsored by Senator Weinberg (D-37). The bill, supported by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, would impose penalties for wage theft.
Finally, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO supported two bills that seek to assist workers negatively impacted by the federal government shut down and were released from committee unanimously. S-3347 (Cryan / Sweeney) allows impacted workers to wave penalties for delinquent property taxes. S-3346 (Cryan / Sweeney) authorizes emergency pension loans.
Thank you to the legislators that voted in support of these bills and thank you to all the affiliates that were in Trenton today continuing to push for the passage of these important pro-worker pieces of legislation.