The destruction wrought by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines is truly unfathomable. Approximately 4.3 million people have been impacted, 330,000 have been left homeless, and thousands of lives have been lost. The storm was one of the strongest ever recorded in global history.

Winning approval of Ballot Question #2 to raise New Jersey’s minimum wage depends on achieving a maximum voter turnout on November 5th. The vast majority of us realize that $7.25 per hour doesn’t cut it in our state. If you do the math, there simply is no way to pay for rent, utilities, child care, transportation, insurance, and health care – even if you have two or three minimum wage jobs. We all know that our state must do better.

We thank Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop, Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer, and Bayonne Mayor Mark Smith as well as all elected officials, union members, and community partners who joined together at the Journal Square PATH Station to urge commuters and local residents to vote “Yes” on Ballot Question #2 this November 5th. Ballot Question #2 is a statewide referendum that if approved by voters, would raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour and tie future adjustments to the cost of living.

The “Raise the Wage” campaign commends the many town councils and Freeholder Boards which have passed resolutions in support of Ballot Question #2 and for joining us in the effort to raise awareness for this critical issue. This is just the beginning of our coalition’s efforts to achieve broad-based support from our elected officials.

This evening’s beefsteak fundraiser generated an enormous amount of support for the Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. “Raise the Wage” campaign. We are extremely grateful to our many coalition partners for their generous support to date and continued efforts to achieve approval of Ballot Question #2 on November 5th.

We have a very special addition to our October 3^rd “Raise the Wage” fundraiser. Terry O’Neill, President of the National Organization for Women, will be joining us along with Mayor Cory Booker.

The union movement has long understood that the building of diverse progressive coalitions is critical to virtually every aspect of labor’s mission whether it is workplace organizing, issue advocacy or the overall fight for social and economic justice.

Today, the state released a statement which certified the minimum wage increase as ballot Question #2. This question will appear on the November 5, 2013 ballot and will give New Jersey voters the power to amend the State Constitution to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $8.25 per hour and require an annual cost of living adjustment.

TRENTON – Dozens of women leaders from labor and community groups joined with state, county, and local elected officials at the State House today to support raising New Jersey’s minimum wage and to commemorate Women’s Equality Day – the day the 19th Amendment was certified, granting women the right to vote. Speakers explained how approving the minimum wage ballot question would advance the fight for women’s equality in New Jersey and help to close the opportunity gap for thousands of women in the state who struggle to make ends meet in minimum wage jobs. Out of all minimum wage workers in New Jersey, approximately 60% of them are women.

Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. was proud to march and rally with workers from the Newark Public School System who are fighting for workplace justice, fair contracts, and respect on the job. Workers in the public school system, despite their good-faith bargaining efforts, have not been treated with respect and have instead been met with threats of layoff and shameful union busting tactics.