This past January, Governor Christie decided to conditionally veto a minimum wage bill which would have increased our state’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.50 an hour with an annual cost of living adjustment. In doing so, he turned his back on workers who are struggling to keep their heads above water, and he squandered a great opportunity to boost our state economy through increased consumer spending.

Yesterday evening, delegates to the 2013 AFL-CIO Convention elected the three top officers of the national AFL-CIO. The leadership team includes President Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, and newly elected Executive Vice President Tefere Gebre.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO proudly congratulates Harold Daggett, President of the International Longshoremen’s Association, who was unaniomusly elected to serve on the national AFL-CIO Executive Council during the third day of the AFL-CIO 2013 Convention.

The union movement has long understood that the building of diverse progressive coalitions is critical to virtually every aspect of labor’s mission whether it is workplace organizing, issue advocacy or the overall fight for social and economic justice.

As we head into Labor Day, we would like your help promoting the ‘Raise the Wage’ campaign. Please promote the campaign on your local union website. Just follow these two easy steps:

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to renew its support for the United Way in 2013 and looks forward to continuing to promote services which strengthen families and the community in New Jersey.

Today, the state released a statement which certified the minimum wage increase as Ballot Question #2. This question will appear on the November 5, 2013 ballot and will give New Jersey voters the power to amend the State Constitution to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour and require an annual cost of living adjustment.

On Labor Day, we remember that working men and women are the people that keep our state and nation running. Below are some local events you can participate in to recognize and enjoy this important day. Please find a listing of additional Labor Day events HERE.

The diversity of the labor movement is our greatest strength, but in order to harness this strength, we must not be sidetracked by opponents that try to divide us. Rather than looking for ways to find fault with one another, we need to focus on the fact that we all share a progressive vision for New Jersey – to build our middle class, grow the labor movement, and recognize the value of all workers in our state.

On August 24, 2013, civil rights organizations, union members, interfaith leaders, and progressives from across the country gathered by the thousands in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC to commemorate the historic 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech and hundreds of thousands of citizens rallied for civil rights and jobs.