Hundreds of Community Members Register to Vote in Trenton and Newark

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO was proud to support two successful voter registration drives this week in partnership with Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc.

The van’s first stop this week was the Trenton Library on April 4, 2013, where we were greeted with an overwhelming response. Libraries are a community’s beacon of knowledge and opportunity, and our voter registration team provided a natural complement as we provided an education on critical state issues such as this year’s minimum wage ballot question and the opportunity to register to vote and make our voices heard.

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO and its affiliates joined today with thousands progressive allies in support of commonsense immigration reform at Jersey City’s Liberty State Park, demonstrating the ongoing commitment of America’s unions to speak with one voice, along with our civil rights, faith and community partners, to pass fundamental reform.

Join an upcoming voter registration drive and be a part of an unprecedented effort to amplify the voice of New Jersey’s working families and empower our communities on the issues that matter to all of us. For example, this year’s ballot will allow voters to directly authorize an increase in our state’s minimum wage that helps hardworking low wage families make ends meet, lifts the standard of living for all working families, and restores a ladder of economic opportunity in all of New Jersey’s communities.

Join thousands of our union brothers and sisters, community allies, civil rights groups, and working families, as we rally together to call for passage of commonsense immigration reform this Saturday in Liberty State Park. Wear your union colors show your union pride!

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO is proud to support a road map to citizenship for aspiring Americans. We recognize that working people are strongest when we work together and the union movement is strongest when it is open to all workers. Comprehensive immigration reform would also improve wages by halting employers who take advantage of our failed immigration policies to pursue a race to the bottom.

Party Line Vote Sends the Legislation to the Governor’s Desk

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO and community allies thank Assemblyman John Wisniewski and Speaker Sheila Oliver for the sponsorship and leadership in passing legislation   (S-2364 / A-3553) establishing an early voting program. We also thank all the members of the State Assembly that voted in favor. The bill passed today by a 46-31-0-3 vote along party lines with Democrats supporting and Republicans opposing. The Senate version (S-2364: Gill / Whelan) passed the Senate on March 18, 2013, also along party lines, by a vote of 24-16. The vote tally sheet can be found HERE. The bill gives New Jersey voters an opportunity to vote 15 days before Election Day, establishes early voting centers throughout the state and extends voting hours on weekends and weekday evenings.

Last night the New Jersey State AFL-CIO was proud to join the Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. coalition and over 100 coalition partners at their annual fundraiser.

The right-wing in Congress has forced across the board budget cuts called sequestration that will cost more than 1 million jobs this year and many more jobs over the next decade. There is a simple solution to make this problem go away: repeal sequestration.

Please find below, a response to the Paul Ryan budget proposal from national AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. Additionally, please click on the following links for TALKING POINTS and an outline of commonsense SOLUTIONS for our nation during these challenging times.

Joined by Senate President Steve Sweeney, Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver and Over 151 Progressive Community Organizations at Kickoff Event

TRENTON – The New Jersey State AFL-CIO joined over 151 progressive community organizations and labor unions as well as Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver to launch a statewide “Raise the Wage” campaign. The campaign seeks to support voter approval of the November ballot question which would raise New Jersey’s minimum wage to $8.25 per hour and include a cost of living adjustment.