GOVERNOR MURPHY SIGNS LEGISLATION TO ENSURE QUALITY PROTECTION FOR LABOR UNIONS
TRENTON – Today, Governor Phil Murphy announced that he has signed the following bill into law:
A–3686 (Coughlin, Reynolds, Moriarty / Sweeney, Greenstein) – “Workplace Democracy Enhancement Act.”
“In New Jersey, we are making it a priority to protect working men and women,” said Governor Murphy. “Today, I am signing A3686, which will give labor unions the chance to organize workers and collectively bargain on their behalf. This legislation will simply ensure that unions can operate in an environment that treats them fairly and eliminates unnecessary hurdles to organizing.”
Today I am pleased to sign the “Workplace Democracy Enhancement Act”, Assembly Bill No. 3686 (First Reprint), which recently received overwhelming support from both Houses of the State Legislature. I particularly commend Senate President Sweeney and Speaker Coughlin for their leadership and prime sponsorship of this important legislation.
As a strong advocate for organized labor, I recognize the myriad benefits of employee unionization, as well as the continued challenges unions face in maintaining and growing their membership. This bill promotes labor stability in the public sector by ensuring that employee organizations that are the exclusive representatives of public employees in collective negotiations are able to carry out their statutory duties by having access to, and being able to communicate with, the employees they represent.
I am concerned, however, that certain of the provisions of New Jersey law enacted today may be determined to conflict in some manner with the legal parameters anticipated to be set forth in the forthcoming ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31. In the event that appropriate clarifying amendments are necessary following the Supreme Court’s decision, I will work closely with the sponsors to enact any required changes. I am also sensitive to the privacy concerns of our public employees and recognize the need to prevent the improper use of personal identifying information collected under the terms of this act. As a result, I am directing State agencies, when implementing this act, to develop sufficient procedures to protect sensitive personal employee information and to restrict its use solely to achieve the act’s purposes.
Date: May 18, 2018
/ s / Philip D. Murphy
Governor
Attest:
/ s / Matthew J. Platkin
Chief Counsel to the Governor
May Municipal Election Day- Tuesday May 8
May Municipal Election Day- Tuesday May 8
Tuesday, May 8 is Election Day in cities and towns across New Jersey when voters will elect Mayors and Councils in several municipalities. Working families have the opportunity to strengthen our voice in government by electing pro-worker candidates and fellow union members who seek election through the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor Candidates Program.
- Anthony Vauss, IUOE Local 68 is running for Irvington Mayor
- Ed Osborne, LIUNA 1153 is running for Newark City Council–at-Large
- Marge Caldwell Wilson, CWA 1087 is running for Trenton City Council-North Ward
- Jerell Blakeley, USW 397 is running for election to Trenton City Council- at-Large
These Labor Candidates share our values and are the union choice, endorsed by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO. We strongly encourage all union voters go to the polls and cast your vote for candidates who will fight for working families and our unions. Working together, the voice of working families will continue to be heard in the halls of government.
Polls will be open between 6:00 am and 8:00 pm in the following municipalities:
(Bayonne, Belleville, Irvington, Keansburg, Long Branch, Newark, Newton, Ocean City, Orange, Paterson, Pine Valley, Ridgewood, Teaneck, Teterboro, Trenton, Union City, & Weehawkin)
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Secretary-Treasurer |
This is your last chance to call and tell your senators to VOTE NO.
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The Republican tax bill that is being voted on today has the potential to wipe out Railroad Retirement Board-administered unemployment and sickness benefits. This is your last chance to call and tell your senators to VOTE NO. A call to action posted by SMART Transportation Division last week told you about $9 million in potential cuts to that RRB benefit if sequestration – mandatory cuts – are triggered in 2018 by the increased debt that the tax plan will bring. Now an updated analysis by the RRB warns that unchecked sequestration can result in that fund being “zeroed out.” Under the federal “Pay-As-You-Go” (PAYGO) Act of 2010, federal spending is required to balance or offset any increases to the federal budget deficit (also known as sequestration). As a result, the tax bill would trigger automatic budget cuts across all federal programs including the RRB’s Railroad Unemployment Trust Fund, which is targeted for a 6.6 percent cut or approximately $9 million in the 2018 fiscal year by the administration. If Congress does not act to avert sequestration run amok, said RRB labor member counsel Michele Neuendorf in an email, pay for sick or unemployed rail workers will be gone. “Essentially, if PAYGO goes into effect and there is 100% sequestration, there could be 100% reduction in benefits, meaning that these benefits to railroaders will be zeroed out,” she wrote. Sick and unemployed rail workers may have paid in, but they’ll lose out. The RRB says in its report: “These benefits are subject to sequestration. Current sickness and unemployment benefits are set at a maximum of $72.00 per day or $720.00 per two-week or 10-day claim period. However, this benefit rate has been reduced by sequestration in effect since FY 2013 due to the Budget Control Act of 2011. The actual maximum benefit currently paid is $672.48 per 10-day claim period which is a 6.6% reduction… “Any further reduction resulting from another sequestration would significantly degrade the benefit protections enacted by Congress and harm those employees suffering either unemployment or sickness. For example, if 100% sequestration is triggered by PAYGO rules, railroad employees eligible for sickness and unemployment benefits would receive nothing. Their benefit payments would zero out.” So someone might be getting a gift from this tax bill this holiday, but it’s not our ailing brothers and sisters or those who are out of work. Call your senators and urge them to vote against the tax bill. Find out who your members of Congress are by accessing the SMART-TD Legislative Action Center or call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121. |
| In solidarity, |
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| John Risch National Legislative Director SMART Transportation Division |
