 |
||
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RALLY IN TRENTON |
||
Chanting, “We Are Not the Problem,” thousands of public employees, including AFT - CNJSCL members, demonstrated in front of the State House on Monday May 16 to express their opposition to any cuts in employee pensions and health benefits. Teachers, firefighters, health care workers and a wide range of professional, technical and clerical employees stood shoulder to shoulder, dressed in their union tee shirts and hats waving banners as speakers from the State AFL-CIO, practically every state employee union and a number of state legislators addressed the crowd. The message delivered was loud and clear. Public employees and their unions will not allow the state budget to be balanced at the expense of their pension and health benefits.
Acting Governor Codey’s claim that public employee benefits are responsible for the State’s budgetary woes, a Division of Pensions and Benefits proposal to increase the cost of prescription drugs for retirees and other hostile signals emanating from Trenton prompted this impressive protest. However, as many speakers pointed out, the real causes of the State’s fiscal problems are former Governor Whitman’s massive tax cuts for the wealthy and ongoing systemic mismanagement. Far from being a burden on the state budget, the State has repeatedly milked the State pension funds to balance the budget. The employee contribution to the defined benefits plans has gone up 2%, but the State, since 1997, has not been required to contribute one dime. A close look at our own institutions, where management's salaries and perks have mushroomed and Boards of Trustees engage in massive spending without any State oversight, reveals just one area where the State can economize.
In addition to public employees' union speakers, Assemblypersons Jeff Van Drew (D-District 1), Linda Greenstein (D-District 14), and Bill Baroni (R-District 14) also spoke in support of maintaining public employees' benefits.
|
||
|
||
 |
||
The AFT was well represented at this rally by employees from Thomas Edison State College, Kean University AFT Locals 2187 & 6024, the Montclair AFT Local 1904, The College of New Jersey and Rowan University, as well as the New Jersey State Federation of Teachers-AFT, the Health Professionals and Allied Employees (HPAE) and our newest AFT/NJ affiliate, Rutgers AAUP. Council Legislative Representative and KFT Local 2187 member Jon Erickson was one of the many rank and file speakers at the event. Council staff also attended the rally. Thank you to all who participated.
This is YOUR fight. Let your legislators know that “We are not the problem” and that you will not tolerate any attacks on your well-earned and well-deserved pension and health benefits. You can contact your legislators via the Council web site by clicking 