After a conditional veto of an increase in New Jersey's minimum wage by Gov. Chris Christie (R), working families, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and a coalition of 151 organizations are pushing for a measure that would raise the state's wage to $8.25 per hour and attach a cost-of-living adjustment to the wage for the future. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D) also joined the "Raise the Wage" campaign. In November, voters will be able to decide on the ballot whether or not to increase the minimum wage.

New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech and New Jersey State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan send us this update on Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts. 

The UAW in Atlantic City has thousands of members who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. In addition to sustaining major property losses, our brothers and sisters have had their hours cut because of the devastation to the casino industry. The critical message to our members is that they are not in this alone. Various recovery resources are available, and we will do everything to get them the help they need as soon as possible.

This is sent to us by Charles Wowkanech, New Jersey State AFL-CIO president. 

While tens of thousands of union and community supporters joined the Workers Stand for America rally in New Jersey to stand up for the voices of working men and women and economic opportunity for all, 22 labor candidates were learning about how to win their election in November so they can support workers in their local governments.

The 16th Annual Labor Candidates School, held last weekend, continues the New Jersey State AFL-CIO's long tradition of preparing and educating rank-and-file union members to run for elected office. The 22 students are representing 18 different local unions and a complete range of our state’s labor movement. 

Nearly 700 delegates, representing 1,000 labor unions and 1 million union members of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, re-elected President Charles Wowkanech and Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan to their fourth four-year term and unanimously re-elected all members of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Executive Board.

In this op-ed, Charles Wowkanech and Laurel Brennan, president and secretary-treasurer, respectively, of the New Jersey State AFL-CIO describe the state federation’s 50 years of making a difference.

Fifty years ago today, George Meany, president of the AFL-CIO, symbolically “tied the knot” linking the hands of AFL leader Vincent Murphy and CIO chief Joel Jacobson.

This is a cross-post from the New Jersey State AFL-CIO.

Thousands of working men and women protested the New Jersey Statehouse today against legislation that would effectively eliminate public employee collective bargaining rights over health care benefits. Chanting “Kill the bill” and “Worker rights are human rights,” 25 union members, including New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech and Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan, were arrested for disorderly conduct.

This is a crosspost from the New Jersey State AFL-CIO.

 The unity rally at the State House was a tremendous success, and you made it happen. Union members from across the state and nation, from all sectors of our labor movement, joined with our community partners and stood together – over 4,000 strong – to show solidarity for the Wisconsin workers. (CLICK HERE for photos of the rally and to see solidarity in action.)