No More Budget Gimmicks! HPAE Members attend the New Jersey AFL-CIO Public Employee Lobby Day in Trenton

Yesterday, more than 200 public-employee union members and retirees came to the State House with a simple message for Governor Christie and the Legislature: “Keep your promises, no more budget gimmicks!” Members from Local 5094 Rutgers and University Hospital and 5112 Runnells Hospital were in attendance.

With the governor’s announcement this week that he will break his promise — and the law he signed — by skipping more than $2 billion in required payments to the state pension system over the next two years, action was urgently needed. The men and women who work for the residents of New Jersey have never skipped a pension payment, and in fact are actually contributing at least 25% more to the system than they were several years ago. The least they deserve is for the governor to follow the law and pay the state’s share.

The Day was kicked-off by Assembly Majority Leader Louis D. Greenwald, who stood in solidarity with our public workers. Then, we took to the State House, where we met face-to-face with dozens of state legislators from every corner of New Jersey. We were heartened to learn they are as angry as we are at the governor’s attempts to break his promise to New Jersey’s public employees.

The fight is far from over, but the state’s June 30th budget deadline will approach quickly. Together we will continue to hold Trenton accountable with one simple message: “Keep your promises, no more budget gimmicks!”

Adapted from New Jersey AFL-CIO materials.