The road to U.S. citizenship is rarely easy. For those who complete the journey, the sense of reward and accomplishment is unparalleled. On April 27, 2016, a ceremony was held in honor of more than 100 new American citizens who were joined by their friends and family in Elizabeth, NJ at an event sponsored by Union County and We Are One New Jersey, Inc.

Hold the Line by Adopting a Verizon Store

Verizon picked a fight with its workers, but didn’t have the slightest clue what they were in for. Hundreds of our brothers and sisters across the labor movement stood in solidarity at the Statehouse yesterday to expose the company’s shameful greed. Thousands more are picketing Verizon stores every day to send a message that union busting will never be tolerated.

In solidarity, our IBEW and CWA brothers and sisters will outlast greedy Verizon.

Please watch our video highlights recapping Monday’s Statehouse rally by clicking on the photo:

All sectors of the labor movement come together each April 28^th to pay tribute to the workers who have become ill or died on the job, and to renew our fight for safe workplaces. We honor our fallen colleagues who literally gave their lives to their jobs and strive for work that is safe and healthy and that pays fair, family sustaining wages.

New Jersey consistently ranks among the lowest states in the country in worker fatalities and injuries due to our strong union presence here and the strength of our union family. Nonetheless, work-related accidents claimed the lives of 36 men and women in 2015, according to preliminary estimates. As recently as last week, a construction worker in Jersey City fell down an elevator shaft and lost his life.

NJ AFL-CIO Joins Picket Line, Leads Statehouse Rally

With their strike against Verizon in its 13^th day, our brothers and sisters at CWA and IBEW got a big boost of support during a noontime rally in front of the New Jersey Statehouse.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO, its affiliated unions and community partners stood shoulder to shoulder with the striking workers to demand a fair contract from this greedy and profitable telecom company.

It is with great sadness that we inform you of Sister Lizette Parker’s passing at the age of 44. As a member of CWA Local 1031 and New Jersey State AFL-CIO labor candidate, she was first elected to the Teaneck Township Council in 2006 and reelected in May 2014. She was unanimously voted as mayor by the township council, becoming the first African American woman to serve as mayor in Teaneck and Bergen County, NJ.

Too many of our brothers and sisters are killed or seriously injured on the job each year, while others die or become permanently disabled because of work-related illnesses and diseases.

Workers Memorial Day on April 28^th is the day set aside to remember our fallen colleagues, as well as to renew our resolve to demand safe environments for all workers. April 28th was chosen because it is the anniversary of the formation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Here is the list of Workers Memorial Day events to honor these workers:

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor Candidates Program has extended its recent streak of victories with the re-election of union sister Elizabeth Gray to the Garfield Board of Education.

The AFTNJ vice president first won election to the board three years ago after successfully completing the NJ AFL-CIO’s Labor Candidates School.

A former president of AFT Local 3977, Garfield Federation of Teachers, Gray was the highest vote-getter in the April 19 school board election. She had been endorsed by the Bergen County Central Labor Council.