On April 28, 2018 the labor movement will once again observe Workers Memorial Day to remember workers killed or injured on the job and to renew the fight for strong safety and health protections. After years of struggle, we have enacted various measures to protect workers from hazards, however our work must continue in terms of both policy and education.

Today’s legislative session saw a series of major floor votes in the Senate and Assembly that place several labor-championed bills on the governor’s desk for signature. It goes without saying that this progress was made possible by the persistent advocacy of organized labor, in some cases through multiple election cycles and legislative sessions.

Thanks to the sustained advocacy and political engagement of organized labor, the wheels have been set in motion for several key legislative victories. Action packed voting sessions are scheduled for Thursday, April 12, 2018, in the state Assembly and state Senate concerning jobs, voting rights, collective bargaining, and earned sick leave. Please find below a list of bills slated to be voted on this Thursday – for which the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and its affiliates have led the charge – along with a brief summary and progress report for each measure.

Several pro-worker bills supported by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO were voted on in committee today. Below is a summary of actions taken in the state Senate and Assembly:

Equal Pay (A-1/S-104): The state Senate and Assembly took an historic step today by voting to approve a measure that would ensure equal pay for equal work across the state. The bill passed the state Senate with unanimous support. CLICK HERE for the Assembly vote tally.

Earned Sick Days (A-1827/S-2171): The state Assembly voted to pass a bill guaranteeing earned sick days. CLICK HERE for results.

On March 22, 2018, the Alice Paul Institute (API) hosted the Alice Paul Equality Awards, honoring three women leaders in the areas of education, empowerment, and equality. The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to congratulate our Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan for being selected as the Education Award Honoree in recognition of her lifelong dedication to labor solidarity and empowering the next generation of women leaders. As the founder of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Women in Leadership Development (WILD) Conference, Secretary-Treasurer Brennan has inspired and empowered thousands of union women to tell their stories and become effective advocates of equality and justice.

The full state Assembly will consider two vital bills on, Monday, March 26, 2018, which have been championed by the labor movement for several years. Earned sick leave (A-1827: Lampitt / Mukherji) and the Equal Pay Act (A-1: Lampitt / Downey) represent an opportunity for our state to advance and lead in the fight for fairness and workplace justice.