President's Message

April 30, 2010

Dear Local 1037 Member,

Whether we are teachers, state workers, county or local government workers, we’re under attack. The current Governor has declared there are “two classes” in NJ: Public workers and “those who pay for them.” It’s the worst kind of demagoguery intended to distract people from his real agenda, which is of course to protect his own class of very wealthy individuals – those he’s proposing should get a tax cut while the rest of us sacrifice.

By the time you read this letter it is likely that the Governor will have announced his next round of proposals attacking public workers. This so called “tool kit” for local and county governments will call for gutting or eliminating civil service and a new round of legislation targeting pensions and healthcare  – this time to include the benefits of current workers. Billed as a way of keeping property taxes from skyrocketing, these proposals won’t actually reduce the tax burden on NJ’s working families. Nonetheless, the Governor has found his scapegoat and it is us.

In the meantime, the Governor’s budget decimates funding for programs and services our members provide and about which we care deeply. There are cuts to programs for the blind, the disabled, students, the elderly, the unemployed –  and the list goes on. There are cuts to programs that protect us from greedy employers, ensuring that our drinking water is clean and our workplaces are safe.

CWA members have already begun to fight back. We continue to Wear Red on Thursday as a sign of our commitment and our solidarity at the worksite. Last month we demonstrated this solidarity by picketing worksites at lunchtime. This month we’ve hosted Town Hall meetings across the state where hundreds of members attended and held their Legislators accountable.

CWA has also launched a media campaign of  radio and internet ads highlighting the work members do and the services we  provide. If you haven’t heard or seen these ads yet, you can view them at our website (www.cwa1037.org).

Now we need every member to take action.

On Saturday, May 22nd there will be a Citizens Rally to Protect Public Services. This rally will be held in Trenton and will bring together public workers, advocates and concerned citizens who will call on the politicians to restore the Millionaires Tax and stop privatization and layoffs.

Please join us, and invite your family, friends and neighbors. You can fill out the enclosed form and return it to the Local office or give it to your Shop Steward as soon as possible. This is important as it will reserve your seat(s) on a bus or train.

Together we can make this the biggest rally NJ has ever seen!

                                                            In Solidarity,

                                                            Ken McNamara,
                                                            President