While our nation has come a long way, there is still much for all of us to learn about race and the value of diversity. The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to commemorate Black History Month, and remains as dedicated as ever towards ensuring a history as well as a future that is inclusive and celebrates the achievements of our African American brothers and sisters.

On behalf of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, we wish you and your family a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season. It remains our privilege to fight side-by-side with you for the principles and values that define our labor movement.

Our election success this year showed the power of our collective voice. By shopping union, we can likewise show the power of our collective wallets. With every purchase of union-made goods, we aren’t just supporting good-paying union jobs, we are also helping to raise compensation standards for all workers.

There is much to be thankful for this year, but one thing we can all appreciate is the value of labor’s collective voice. We are fortunate to live in a time and place where all workers have the right to join together in unions to advocate for respect, dignity and justice on the job and in their communities. Furthermore, through the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor Candidates Program, no other state has done more to elevate the voice of workers across all levels of government.

Labor Day is a celebration and reaffirmation of the two goals of the labor movement: dignifying work and enriching our communities and our families. While New Jersey has made great progress in these goals, our work will not be over until everyone has a job that affords workers the dignity and respect they deserve.

Labor Day is a week from today, which means Election Day is right around the corner – 71 days to be exact. While we are already working hard towards a victory on November 7^th, we hope that everyone is able to enjoy a bit of rest and family time this weekend. Whatever your plans may be, we want to thank you for all the work you do to build stronger unions and communities. These may be challenging times, but our shared middle class values will continue to drive us forward.

Be sure to celebrate the contributions of labor to our communities at any of the following Labor Day events:

May 1^st is International Workers Day. More than 10 million people across the country are expected to take to the streets to demand justice for working people and immigrants. The rules of trade and outdated immigration policies have put profit over people for too long, and the New Jersey State AFL-CIO continues to stand strong with our brothers and sisters in pursuit of justice.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO realizes that our efforts must extend beyond a single day of action and is a leader in the fight for immigrant rights in our state. Through a collaborative project with Hudson and Union County governments, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO spearheaded the creation of We Are One NJ, Inc., a non-profit organization that provides support services to legal permanent residents seeking to attain U.S. citizenship.

Every year on April 28^th, we take the time to honor workers who have lost their lives on the job and renew our commitment to fighting for every worker’s right to a safe, fair-paying job.

In the past we have won new protections for workers. When mine workers struggled with exposure to silica dust and beryllium, damaging their lungs and leading to cancer, we won new rules to limit exposure for mine workers and protect them from retaliation after reporting injuries and illness from job conditions.

With the holidays fast approaching, we wanted to send well wishes to our union family and thank you for all you do to keep the labor movement strong. We are grateful for your hard work and dedication to advancing our shared goals. We believe that through our collective strength and solidarity we can surmount whatever challenges come our way.

Thanksgiving is the time of year that we join together with our family and friends to share a hearty meal and appreciate the important things in life.  Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to our union family for all the work that you do. Our labor movement will always have battles to fight, but it is because of your dedication and persistence that we continue to forge forward.