We will never forget the men and women who gave their lives in defense of our national freedom and humanitarian justice around the world. On behalf of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO which represents one-million union members and their families, we join in honoring our fallen soldiers this Memorial Day. And to the brave men and women who served, or are currently serving overseas, we cannot thank them enough for their sacrifice and heroism. They will always be in our thoughts and prayers.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO congratulates the IAM District 15 organizing team and the workers at Penske Truck Leasing’s Bridgeport, NJ facility on their recent organizing success. This was a hard-fought victory in which workers had to overcome a full-blown anti-union campaign carried out by the company’s labor relations department. In the end, it was grassroots organizing and trust that enabled workers to prevail. This victory ensures that two dozen Technicians and Customer Service Representatives at Penske now have the opportunity to exercise their voice on the job.

Congratulations to two union brothers on their victories in the Tuesday, May 12, municipal elections.

John Amodeo, a former New Jersey Assemblyman and member of IUOE Local 825, was elected to a seat on the Margate City Commission. Harry Kumburis, a building engineer and a member of IUOE Local 68, won a seat on the Cedar Grove Township Council.

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) and the telecommunication industry are attempting to quietly and quickly implement a proposal that would eliminate some of the few remaining consumer protections for local phone service.  These actions will immediately harm our union brothers and sisters and members of the public. 

CLICK HERE to sign a petition sponsored by IBEW 827 that urges the BPU to oppose the deregulation of local phone service. Please also share this petition with your friends to help surpass our goal of 1,000 signatures.

AFL-CIO Partners with Letter Carriers in May 9 Food Drive

The National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) will conduct its 23rd annual food drive on Saturday, May 9, 2015. Letter carriers will collect non-perishable food donations as they deliver mail.

Please consider leaving a sturdy bag of non-perishable food items such as canned soup, canned vegetables, canned meats and fish, pasta, peanut butter, rice and cereal next to your mailbox before the regular mail delivery. Carriers will collect donations left near mailboxes.

A service celebrating the life of Francis A. “Frank” Forst has been postponed.

The service at Rutgers Labor Education Center had been scheduled for May 13, 2015. It will be rescheduled for a later date.

Brother Forst was a vice president of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO for 35 years.

We will advise when a new date has been selected.

Over 25 New Jersey young workers took a step back in history during a tour of the American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark in Haledon. By understanding the past, young workers are developing the knowledge necessary to ensure a robust future for the labor movement. This is an ongoing theme of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Young Workers program, and we thank Passaic County Youth Engagement in Solidarity (YES), the Passaic County CLC, the American Labor Museum, and union affiliates for making this special event possible.

CLICK HERE for pictures.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our affiliated public employee unions in the fight for state pension funding before the New Jersey Supreme Court.

The state federation and our affiliates were well represented before the court on Wednesday, May 6, 2015, when our lawyers argued convincingly that Gov. Christie is obligated to make the full yearly pension payment required by law.