Public Employees

Hundreds gather in hearing on UMNDJ merger with Rutgers to speak out against proposed plan

Law Requiring Public Employees to Live in NJ Takes Effect Sept. 1
August 31, 2011

The "New Jersey First Act," which requires public employees in New Jersey to live in the state or move to the state within one year, takes effect September 1st.
Read the Press Release from the New Jersey Senate Majority Office


How Will Public Employees Be Affected By the New Health and Pension Benefits Law?
Posted June 28, 2011
Updated June 30, 2011

On June 28, 2011, Governor Christie signed into law the health and pension benefits legislation just passed by the State Assembly and Senate. Below is a summary of how the changes will affect HPAE members at UMDNJ and Runnells Specialized Hospital.

Click here for a summary of the Health and Pension Benefits Law

State Assembly Passes Health Bill Eliminating Collective Bargaining Rights, Senate's Final Approval Expected
June 24, 2011

Legislation (A-4133) strongly opposed by the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and its affiliates, that would eliminate the ability of public employees to bargain over their health care benefits was passed on Thursday, June 23rd in the State Assembly by a vote of 46-32. The bill was supported by all 32 Assembly Republicans present (Assemblyman Biondi was absent) and 14 Democrats.
How the State Legislators Voted

Members that voted “right” voted against the bill and in support of collective bargain. Members that voted “wrong” voted in favor of the bill and against collective bargaining.

Additionally, an amendment was made which removes the restriction on out-of-state health care facility use. The bill (S2937/A4133) will be back in the Senate for a vote on the amended bill on Monday, June 27th.

The HPAE thanks those legislators that voted against this bill and in support of collective bargaining. We also thank all the union members that attended the State House rally against the bill.

The passage of this bill by the State Assembly, which destroys bargaining rights on health care, is a terrible moment for New Jersey’s working class. This is bad public policy for public employees, teachers, police, firefighters, state and local government workers, and all middle class workers who serve our communities through public service.


Join the fight now to save collective bargaining and oppose significant increases to your health insurance costs
June 21, 2011

The NJ Senate voted Monday to approve legislation that would cost New Jersey public workers thousands of dollars more towards health care and pension contributions and eliminate the right of public employees to bargain over health care costs. Companion legislation also passed the Assembly Budget committee. The full NJ Assembly is scheduled to vote on the bill this Thursday, June 23. There is still time to take action.

There are three crucial ways to act now to prevent the Assembly from approving the bill and to save your family's health care coverage as you know it.

1. Call your Assembly members right now! Call 888-875-6558 and tell your Assembly Members that must stand up to Governor Christie and stand for Democratic principles by voting NO.


2.Come to the Statehouse in Trenton! Join us at the State House in Trenton on Thursday, June 23 to make your voice heard. HPAE and AFT are meeting at 10:30 a.m. in front of 101 West State Street (Thomas Edison State College). Click here to sign up. Include your email address and cell phone to be informed of any changes in plans.


3.Email your Assembly representatives! Email your Assembly representatives to tell them to let collective bargaining work and vote NO on the bill. Click here to take action.

Public Employees Fight Christie-Sweeney Plan for Health Insurance and Pension Legislation
June 13, 2011

Last week, Governor Christie and State Senator Steve Sweeney announced an agreement on legislation regarding health insurance and pensions for public employees. HPAE and other unions are mobilizing to fight the legislation, which overrides collective bargaining and will lead to a net reduction in take-home pay. What you can do to stop their plan:

Call your State Legislators and Tell Them to Oppose the Christe-Sweeney Legislation
Come to a Rally in Trenton on Thursday, June 16


Rally to Protest Vineland Development Center Closing
May 16, 2011

The New Jersey AFL-CIO is sponsoring a rally on May 20 to protest the closing of the Vineland Development Center. The closing will be a devastating blow to the patients and staff.
Read More


Test Your "Tool Kit Knowledge
May 12, 2011
Governor Christie's "Tool Kit" is a set of bills designed to weaken the rights of public employees. The Christie administration has made many inaccurate and misleading statements about what is in the Tool Kit and its impact. Do you know what is actually in the Tool Kit and what the Christie administration has done to slash funding for education and other needed services?
Take the Quiz


Corporate Money Fights Safeguards and Unions Too


Mad About Attacks on Workers? Tell Your State Lawmakers: Not in New Jersey!
Join the effort by the New Jersey AFL-CIO, HPAE, and other unions to protect the right of public employees to have a voice in the workplace.
Read More and Take Action


Senator Weinberg Supports CWA Healthcare Stance
March 18, 2011
State Senator Loretta Weinberg released a statement urging Governor Christie to negotiate healthcare benefits with state workers unions, iincluding the Communications Workers of America (CWA).
Read More


Woodbury, NY Town Council Supports Public Employees
March 17, 2011
The Town Council of Woodbury, New York unanimously passed a resolution last week supporting collective bargaining rights for public employees.
Read More


Assembly Approves Resolution to Urge Governor to Bargain with State Workers Unions
March 14, 2011
The full Assembly approved a measure calling on Governor Christie to begin negotiating in good faith with union representatives of state employees.
Read More


Assembly State Government Committee Urges Governor to Bargain
AR145, sponsored by Assemblyman Giblin (D-Essex), urges the Governor to begin collective bargaining with state employees. Passed the Assembly State Government Committee, AR145 sets the tone for respectful bargaining and encourages bargaining rather than legislation to address wages, health benefits and pension issues.


Making a Difference: AFT's Campaign to Preserve Good Jobs in the Public Sector
March 2, 2011
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the national union to which HPAE is affiliated, has organized campaigns in a number of states to stop the attacks on public employees.
Read More


Democrats and Unions Need to be United in New Jersey
February 26, 2011

Paul Aronsohn, a Councilman in Ridgewood and a member of the Bergen County Democratic Committee, welcomed Democratic Party support for the rally in Trenton February 25, 2011 in support of Wisconsin and New Jersey public employees.
Read More


NJ Sen. Sweeney to unveil bill requiring state employees to contribute more for medical benefits
February 15, 2011
NJ.com

TRENTON — Senate President Stephen Sweeney today will unveil a plan that aims to slash the state’s huge medical costs by requiring public employees to kick in significantly more to health benefits, according to three officials familiar with the proposal.

The Sweeney plan shares much common ground with Gov. Chris Christie’s reform agenda and signals significant momentum in Trenton for sweeping changes to public medical benefits.

Read More


VITALE STATEMENT ON EFFORTS TO FIGHT PRIVATIZATION
February 14, 2011

Says Privatization Should Be Used to Find ‘Conscientious Cost Savings,’ not as a Weapon Against Public Employees

Read More

WEINBERG STATEMENT FOR COALITION ON PRIVATIZATION KICK-OFF
February 14, 2011

Says Weak Economy is Wrong Time to Put People Out of Work

Read More

Open Letter to the NJ State Legislature from HPAE Local 5112 President, Barbara Egger - January 6, 2011

Barbara Egger, an RN at Runnells Hospital and HPAE Local 5112 President, sent state legislators a letter in which she cautions them not to make public employees a scapegoat for the state's financial problems. Barbara points out that pension benefits are not exorbitant and were negotiated as part of a total compensation package. Public employees should not be "criticized for wanting...what everyone else should want - a secure retirement, health insurance, a guarantee that they will only be disciplined and/or fired for just cause, rules that apply to everyone equally, and a say in working conditions...."
Read More

Christie Issues Executive Orders on Higher Education - January 4, 2011

Following the release of the Kean Commission report on higher education in New Jersey, Governor Christie issued two executive orders. One establishes a committee to make recommendations on whether UMDNJ should be merged with other state institutions. The other creates the Governor's Higher Education Council to advise the governor on restructuring New Jersey's higher education system. Neither of these bodies include input from the workforce or their unions. We are seeking to have a "seat at the table" as key higher education issues are being determined.
Executive Order #51 - UMDNJ Committee Read More
Executive Order #52 - Governor's Higher Education Council Read More

Kean Commission Report on Higher Education in New Jersey is Released - January 4, 2011

Former New Jersey Governor Tom Kean chaired a commission on the future of higher education in New Jersey. The commission's report, which was issued January 4, 2011, may have a significant impact on the higher education system, including HPAE members employed at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). For the full report, Click here

Rutgers Study Refutes Privatization Schemes - November 15, 2010

A report by prepared by Jeffrey Keefe and Janice, professors at the Rutgers University School of Labor and Management Relations, shows that privatization of government functions is often more costly and less efficient than upgrading public services.
Read More

Radio Ad: Public Employees Serve the Public

Governor Christie Backs off Layoff Plan - November 10, 2010

Gov. Chris Christie had threatened to lay off 1,200 state workers, but is now saying that he can meet his goals through attrition.
Read More

Public Employment: The work is Hazardous - November 9, 2010

The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the rate of injuries among among local and state government workers was 185 cases per 10,000 full-time workers. That compares with 106 cases per 10,000 full-time employees in private industry. The report concludes: "Specifically, we see a high occurrence among many public employee occupations, particularly among transit and intercity bus drivers, law enforcement officers, emergency response workers, and nursing aides and orderlies. We are also concerned that musculoskeletal disorders continue for the second year in a row to comprise almost 30 percent of all workplace injuries and illnesses requiring time away from work."
Read More

In the Public Interest? Safeguarding New Jersey’s Public Investments: A Response to the NJ Privatization Task Force Report

Read the report here.

Summary of New Jersey State Assembly Legislation on Property Taxes and Government Spending - October 26, 2010

The New Jersey State Assembly has passed or moved through various committees a number of bills regarding property taxes and government spending.
Read More

New Jersey Policy Perspective Report on Christie's Tool Kit - October 18, 2010

New Jersey Policy Perspective has analyzed Governor Christie's 33 legislative proposals to cut local government and education resources.
Read More

Governor Christie’s ‘Tool Kit”: A Hammer Against Public Services, Health Care and Education

July, 2010

Governor Christie is proposing to limit the amount of money that our communities, state agencies, colleges and schools can spend on education, health care, environmental protection and regulations and safeguards that protect our health and safety.

What Governor Christie calls a ‘tool kit’ is really a set of weapons that will harm our quality of life and ability to support local schools and higher education; state funding for hospitals and health care, and the salaries of municipal workers, teachers, nurses and other public service workers. This ‘tool kit’ doesn’t save money and will not reduce taxes – but it will reduce the services we get in our local communities, and it will give Trenton politicians more power over our communities and labor rights.

A Phony Solution to A Real Problem

Governor Christie’s original proposal for a constitutional amendment setting a 2.5% ‘cap’ on Property Taxes, with no allowances for the increases in costs of healthcare, pensions, or other community needs, has now passed the NJ Senate and Assembly as a 2.0% cap that does allow for some exceptions, including health care cost increases.

But, homeowners need real relief from soaring property taxes – the compromise cap is still not the answer. Rather than really holding down our property taxes, an unrealistic cap could force local layoffs and limit the ability of our local communities to decide for themselves priorities for spending. Current law already has a 4% cap on local budgets, with several exemptions. Research indicates that the adoption of a property tax cap does lead to lower teacher quality and lower student achievement. In Massachusetts, which established a similar cap, the state provided substantial increases in state support to make up for the local lost revenue. Still, local governments were left starved for essential services, including education.

Diminishing Due Process for Public Service Workers

A ban on collective bargaining agreements that increase wages, health benefits and retirement benefits exceeding 2.5%. This ‘cap’ limits due process in negotiations, allowing politicians to make decisions or override local decision-making. How can towns and government ‘cap’ the amount for health insurance, unless we also ‘cap’ the outrageous increases by insurance companies – and outrageous $8million CEO compensation?

Returning to Patronage and Political Cronyism: At our Expense

The ‘tool kit’ gives more power to politicians and management to override negotiated contracts, gives elected officials greater control to hire through patronage rather than by qualification (by opting out of civil service protections); to lay-off staff, without consideration of their seniority and experience; to undermine worker protections in personnel actions taken as a result of shared services; and to make it harder for a worker to challenge management decisions by reducing their grievance rights.

Instead, HPAE and the NJ AFL-CIO believe we should:

• Protect the integrity of collective bargaining.
• Support a civil service system that is free from political interference.
• Protect the principle of just cause and due process for workers.

Starving Government Agencies that Protect our Health and Safety

Governor Christie is still proposing a a 2.5% cap on spending for state government operations. Funding for NJ state colleges, charity care and support for hospitals and agencies that serve to protect the environment, inspect hospitals, and keep our roads safe would all be affected by this cap. Even if economic conditions change – or there is an emergency that demands funding – there is no current flexibility in this cap.

IT’S TIME TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE AND EDUCATION AND OUR COMMUNITIES

NJ’s recently enacted state budget already slashes funding for education, municipal aid and health care programs like Family Care and women’s health services. Thousands of women will lose access to vital health screenings and family planning services unless Governor Christie signs S2139, which would restore the funding and bring 90% matching dollars from the federal government, sponsored by Senators Weinberg and Buono and Assemblywoman Stender and Greenstein. While Christie demands shared sacrifice – he refused to extend the millionaire’s tax that would have helped restore some of the funding and services.

Millionaires got a $16,000 tax break – while we get higher property taxes, crowded classrooms, more expensive college educations and less health care.

JOIN HPAE in fighting for health care and education. Click here to sign on-line petitions to restore women’s health care.

Happy One Year Anniversary Paid Family Leave!

July 1, 2010 marked the one-year anniversary of New Jersey's Family Leave Insurance Program and there is much to celebrate! By all accounts, the sky has not fallen as predicted by the business community; the program has been a huge success in providing New Jersey's working families with resources to meet the challenges of balancing work and family. In its first year of operation, the program provided benefits to over 28,000 workers in New Jersey.

To mark the anniversary, the Philadelphia Inquirer editorial board applauded New Jersey’s Family Leave Insurance Program, saying the “successful and cost-effective” program has “proved critics wrong.” They wisely wrote: “New Jersey’s decision to give workers a financial safety net to take care of loved ones was the right thing to do. It will pay off in ways that cannot always be measured in dollars and cents.”

In these uncertain economic times, as more and more of us struggle to keep jobs and homes, these basic protections mean more to families than ever. With Family Leave Insurance, working families in New Jersey do not have to make difficult decisions between going to work to earn a paycheck and staying home to care for a loved one.

Follow the links below for additional media and other pieces that have run during the past few weeks:

• "New Jersey's family leave program helps workers have a work-home life balance"
• "New Jersey’s Family Leave Insurance Program: The Sky Has Not Fallen"
• "Family Business"
• "Family Leave Insurance gets high marks on first anniversary"
• "NJ's paid family leave program a success”

NJ Budget Problems Made Worse by Cuts and Veto of Millionaire’s Tax: Community groups, Labor Joint Effort to Support Community Services

June 4, 2010

The Stand Up Rally for a Fair Budget on May 22, 2010 brought together 35,000 families and concerned citizens to tell the NJ Legislature that we want a fair budget, with shared sacrifice, and continued support for our local schools, for health care, and for our communities. The rally was the first public reaction to the budget and policies of NJ’s new Governor, Chris Christie.

Since Chris Christie began his campaign for Governor of NJ, it has been obvious that his goal would be the deliberate dismantling of public services and government protections so that the private sector could take over – whether in education, healthcare, municipal services, or environmental protection. Christie’s course of action has set the stage for huge budget fights and a possible fight over constitutional amendments to limit revenue for public services and funds available to honor collective bargaining agreements.

Instead of acknowledging the deep economic crisis our nation is in, the Governor has framed the discussion as a problem of overspending and over-taxation. The truth is NJ has a revenue problem – taxes from both individuals and businesses dropped precipitously over the past two years – because of the economic downturn, business failures and unemployment. Instead of true shared sacrifice, through careful budgeting and extension of the millionaire’s taxes, Governor Christie has slashed public education, health care, municipal aid, libraries and other public services.

Governor Christie is running a classic anti-union campaign directed at public workers, which include the HPAE nurses and health professionals working at UMDNJ.

Christie’s latest (and most dangerous) attack is what he has called a 33-point ‘tool kit’, which includes:

• A 2.5% cap on state government costs including all public employee compensation/benefits
• A 2.5% cap on municipal costs including all school district expenditures and collectively bargained agreements
• The same cap on state collective bargaining agreements, including colleges and UMDNJ
• A breakup of collective bargaining processes and agreements in higher education, a direct attack on Council of NJ State College Locals and UMDNJ
• Legislative proposals for vouchers/tax breaks for corporate voucher programs for education
• Reduced civil service protections and increased obstacles to Public Employee Relations Commission enforcement and protections for public employee rights
• Reduction in layoff rights, particularly in ‘shared services’ agreements between municipalities
• Other affronts to collective bargaining including consolidation which would allow counties to revoke agreements between municipal bodies (including school boards) and unions

The NJ AFL-CIO, with HPAE, AFT and other unions representing public service workers are organizing a lobby campaign challenging these so-called ‘tools, based on the following principles:

1. Protect the integrity of collective bargaining as it exists under current laws, ensure the right to negotiate annual wages, benefits, and contract terms, and the ability to legally enforce those contracts, including through the use of binding arbitration with independent arbitrators.
2. Support a civil service system that governs seniority, hiring and layoff practices and is free from political interference.
3. Protect the principle of just cause and due process for discipline procedures.
4. Preserve interest arbitration for those employees that currently have these protections.
5. Do not erode pension benefits for current workers and retirees.

HPAE and our coalition partners will be lobbying throughout the summer for these principles, starting with a Lobby day on Monday, June 21, 2010 in Trenton. Click here to register to attend the Lobby Day.

Stand Up To Protect NJ's Families and Communities - May 22, 2010 in Trenton

Rev. Bruce Davidson
Rev. Bruce Davidson talks about the importance of protecting our most vulnerable citizens and the importance of nurses and HPAE members to get fair wages and benefits.

New Jersey Citizen Action
New Jersey Citizen Action Executive Director Phyllis Salowe-Kaye and USAction President William McNary talk about why they joined HPAE members to protest Governor Christie's proposed budget cuts.

Thousands rally in Trenton against Christie cuts
PolitickerNJ
May 22, 2010
By Max Pizarro

TRENTON - A band of teachers, firefighters, nurses, cops, workers, union card holders, urban guerillas, and assorted progressives rallied at the Statehouse this afternoon, demanding that Gov. Chris Christie restore the so-called millionaires' tax on those making above $400,000 to pay for social programs and strengthen the state's safety net in a static economy.

Read More

A bill requiring New Jersey’s public employees to reside in New Jersey passed the State Senate on May 20th by a vote of 25 to 10 with 5 senators not voting. Called the “New Jersey First Act”, S1730 will require “every person holding an office, employment or position” with the state to have their principle residence in New Jersey. Anyone who is employed by a State college, university or other educational institution temporarily or on a per-semester basis is exempt from the residency requirement.

The residential requirement is prospective, that is anyone newly hired as a public employee will be required to reside in New Jersey and those currently working for the state but living outside of New Jersey will not have to relocate. If however, a public employee voluntarily chooses to change / transfer into another office, employment or position they must become a resident of New Jersey; forced reassignment of your position will not require relocation. If an employee chooses to switch positions, they will have 365 days from the date of acceptance to relocate. If the employee chooses not to comply with the residency requirement, he or she will be “deemed unqualified for holding office, employment or position.”

S1730 does contain a provision whereby an employee may request an exemption. A 3 member committee will be established to meet monthly to review exemption requests. The senate counterpart in the Assembly A2478 has been referred to committee but has had no action to date.

Click here to view the Senate voting record, or to view S1730.

Click here to view Assembly bill A2478.

HPAE joined with the NJ AFL-CIO in getting a number of important amendments to S1730, to minimize its impact on our members – but we remain concerned with the impact on our ability to recruit and retain qualified staff for UMDNJ and other public entities. HPAE and AFT both have members living in NJ and working in PA or NY, as well as members living in NY and PA who work in NJ.

You can write to your state Assembly member or State Senator with your views on S1730/A2478.

Rutgers University studies public versus private employee salaries
Star Ledger
Monday, May 17, 2010 (All day)
By Bob Braun

Nothing destroys the fun of an argument more than facts. They get in the way of rhetoric and turn black-and-white issues into muddy shades of gray. That’s nowhere more true than in the fight over pay for New Jersey public employees. Read More

A Letter to Chris Christie

From: Steven Derion, A 2007 Nominee for the Governor's Teacher of the Year Award, Manahawkin , NJ

I am the enemy. I never realized this until your election to governor. In a few short weeks, you have made this fact explicitly clear to me. A large portion of your budget address was about my profession, and how we have caused the problems this state now faces. I want to thank you for opening my eyes to this fact. However, I am not sure I understand how I am the problem or how I have caused the state to be in such debt. Read More

Public Employees Earn Substantially Less than Private Sector Counterparts

Refuting right-wing attacks on state workers, a new report by the National Institute for Retirement Security (NIRS) and the Council on State and Local Government Excellence (CSGE), Out of Balance? Comparing Public and Private Sector Compensation Over 20 Years, demonstrates that state and local employees earn an average of 11 and 12 percent less, respectively, than comparable private sector workers.Read More

Proposed Budget Will Only Benefit the Rich

TRENTON – A nonpartisan analysis of Governor Chris Christie’s budget shows conclusively that the proposal would benefit New Jersey’s wealthiest families at the expense of senior citizens, lower-income working families and the middle-class, Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney said today. Read More. Also, check out our Budget Fact Sheet to see how the proposed budget will affect you.

Legislature passes pension and benefit reduction bills

Posted: April 08, 2010

The NJ State Legislature passed the three HPAE-opposed pension and benefits bills, all three bills passed by substantial margins. The bills were immediately signed into law by Chris Christie.

HPAE members and staff worked hard to fight these laws that trample on our collective bargaining rights. Ultimately though, the laws passed.

Please look for Action Alerts in the upcoming days as we finalize our response strategy.

Here is a Summary of the recently enacted bills that reduce certain Public Employee benefits:

Please note that changes specified for “new employees” in the bills would also affect current employees if they leave the system and return after a break in service.

The bills take effect on the 60th day after enactment. They were signed into law on March 22, 2010 and therefore will take effect on May 21, 2010.

As of 3/22/10, SCR-1 has only passed the State Senate.