One of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s greatest achievements, besides working to overcome racial divides, championing civil rights and promoting workers’ justice was his ability to cultivate respect between many different individuals and groups. The civil rights movement had a defined mission, but in order to organize a diverse movement of support, people needed to respect one another. Without respect, unity is only skin-deep and bound to fall apart.

TRENTON– “For a Governor known not to shy away from any subject, his State of the State address yesterday fell incredibly short of addressing the reality of New Jersey’s economic challenges, and the struggles of working families,” stated Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. Chair Charles Hall, Jr. “In his speech he was quick to talk about a drop in unemployment, but did not provide the context that many of the jobs being created are in low-wage industries and do not provide workers with the necessary means to take care of their families.”

First we would like thank all of our community partners who have stood in opposition to Turnpike privatization by sending messages to Turnpike Commissioner James Simpson. To date,over 500 messages have been sent. This campaign remains active, so if you have not done so already, please CLICK HERE to take action or share this link with a friend.

Call-In Number: 845-809-4509

Right-wing efforts to block an extension of long-term unemployment benefits have left 1.3 million Americans and over 90,000 New Jerseyans out in the cold. We must take immediate action to restore these benefits, and your voice can make the difference as the U.S. Senate prepares to vote tonight and the House of Representatives votes within the next two weeks.

For over two years, workers on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway have sacrificed and fought to keep their jobs. Their battle against privatization has resulted in annual pay reductions of approximately $15,000 to $20,000 per worker, essentially turning family-sustaining middle class jobs into low-income ones.

New Jersey’s minimum wage of $7.25 was simply infeasible given our state’s high cost of living, and as of tomorrow, approximately 400,000 workers will realize a long-overdue raise. The significance of this increase cannot be understated. Forty more dollars a week will make the difference between falling further behind and making ends meet; it is a full tank of gas, a trip to the grocery store or extra time to spend with family; and for workers who are in poverty, despite having two or three jobs, a little more money can provide the means for future advancement.

Working Families United for New Jersey, Inc. is committed to the health and wellbeing of our communities and will join with local organizations including RWDSU Local 108, Twin City Supermarket, and Pablo Supermarket to host a holiday dinner tonight at the AIDS Resource Foundation for Children in Newark at 5:30 p.m.

The national American Federation of Teachers has proposed a national day of action to ensure that those closest to the education process – teachers, administrators, school staff, students, their parents, and community members – have a voice in education policy and practice. Due to the top-down policy approach applied to Newark public schools for the last 18 years, this principle has been greatly undermined.

This Black Friday, November 29, 2013, workers, union members, and community partners will convene outside of Walmart stores all around the nation to protest the company’s poverty wages, workers’ rights violations, ruthless greed, and shameful business practices that undermine worker safety in our New Jersey communities and around the globe.

The following content was contributed by our New Jersey State AFL-CIO Trustees:

As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches, a Walmart store in Ohio decided that the best way to show its appreciation for their employees was to hold a food drive for them. A number of bins were placed out with signs asking customers to donate to employees so that they could enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. It is outrageous that one of the world’s most profitable corporations – which made $15.7 billion in profits last year alone – is paying their workers so little that they are unable to provide their families with a decent Thanksgiving meal.