New Jersey Public Employees Rally Against Union-Busting Legislation
by Kyle Weidleman | June 16, 2011
AFSCME Sec. Treas. Lee A. Saunders stands with New Jersey public employees at the rally outside the state capitol. (Photo credit: Michele Lewis)
Thousands of public service workers and their supporters rallied outside the state capitol today, while, inside, the state legislature's leadership turned their back on public employees. AFSCME members held up signs that read "Negotiate, Don't Dictate." Together, the crowd of up to ten thousand protesters slowed traffic as they packed the streets and sidewalks around the Capitol.
Although Christie had entered contract negotiations with union workers, the state legislature began debate on a bill that would unilaterally curb public worker benefits while raising the retirement age and restricting bargaining rights. This attack on public workers has been endorsed by Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D) and Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D).
Sweeney's endorsement of the anti-worker bill is seen as a betrayal since he is a union leader himself. AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders spoke at the event from a podium that read "Christie & Sweeney, Perfect Together." "They are on a mission to take working families backwards, and they’re starting with public-service workers. But we won’t back down because the American dream is at stake," said Saunders.
In the group of protesters heading to the state capitol today was Andrew Magree, an 18-year firefighter who came straight to the rally from fighting two blazes. Magree joined the protest because "They're discarding me as Thursday morning trash, putting me on the curb, that's how I feel." Mark Razzoli, a Jersey City police officer who went to ground zero to help on 9/11, called the Speaker "a sell out" for agreeing to the union-busting deal.
About 150 workers in the Bridgewater-Raritan regional school district held their own "unity rally" outside of the local high school to show solidarity with the protesters in Trenton.
