“The day after Tuesday’s town hall, Gov. Christie will again be out of state promoting Republican candidates and furthering his own presidential aspirations,” New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech said before the governor's scheduled appearance in Long Branch. “New Jersey’s serious economic problems won’t be solved from Oklahoma or Kansas or by scapegoating public-sector workers for the failures of the Christie administration.”

Statement from New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech on Gov. Christie’s “No Pain, No Gain” Town Hall:

 “As Gov. Christie takes time out from his multi-state campaign swing to bash public employees who are making their pension contributions, Ocean City’s town hall audience should demand that the governor answer for the state’s lagging job growth, sluggish economy and unacceptable number of housing foreclosures,” said New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech.

CLICK HERE for a look at the questions town hall audiences should be asking Gov. Christie.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech issued the following statement on Gov. Christie’s recent veto of a bill establishing standards for privatization of government services:

“By vetoing legislation ensuring that a government service was privatized only if it saved money, Gov. Christie ignored a recommendation from his own task force that savings drive future privatizations,” said Wowkanech. “What the governor erroneously describes as the bill’s ‘many restrictive provisions’ are built-in fiscal protections for taxpayers and job protections for public workers.”

This evening, the New Jersey State Senate and Assembly approved a balanced budget plan for FY2015 which includes full funding for public employee pensions in accordance with actuarial recommendations. Charles Wowkanech, President of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, released the following statement:

Trenton – New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech released the following statement today upon learning of the governor’s intention to close the current budget shortfall by cutting the pension payments the state will make over the next two budget years:

Taking exception to the Christie administration’s revisionist history that claims credit for the solvency of the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech reminded officials that the fund’s saving came from strong legislative action and voter approval to end years of raids by cash-hungry governors.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech today rebutted the governor’s assertions made during last night's "Ask the Governor" program regarding health care costs for retired public workers:

With 8.7% unemployment and a net property tax spike of nearly 20% during Christie’s first three years in office, New Jerseyans need to take a close hard look at which candidates in the upcoming election represent their values and are going to fight on behalf of all working families.

By Charles Wowkanech

Gov. Christie likes to claim he hasn't raised taxes. But the burden on New Jersey's working families has gone up during his time in office. What gives?