Posts tagged New Jersey

    Federal employees say they’ll quit if they have to move to New Jersey

    July 28, 2026 // The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 98, representing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New York District and North Atlantic Division employees, rallied outside 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on Thursday, protesting the proposed relocation of their offices to New Jersey. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Lander were among those who joined in person, while Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent a statement in support, calling on the federal government to keep the employees in New York. Members of both the Democratic and Republican New York congressional delegations have sent letters to the Trump administration urging them to reconsider the move.

    As Jersey City cuts workers amid budget crisis, unions make their voices heard

    July 23, 2026 // Hundreds of union workers — from police officers and firefighters to crossing guards and public works laborers — filled City Hall during last week’s City Council meeting. Over hours of public comment, they urged city leaders tasked with fixing the financial mess to value and protect the workers that make Jersey City run.

    New Jersey Cannabis Workers Beat Union Abuse and Delay Tactics, Win Freedom in Decertification Election

    July 14, 2026 // Employees of Green Thumb Industries have finally regained their freedom, removing United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 360 union officials from their workplace. This comes over 21 months after an initial petition was filed by Michael Potter, a Lead Warehouse Technician for Green Thumb, on behalf of his coworkers at four locations across New Jersey.

    Kim Kavin: ‘Severely Broken’

    July 9, 2026 // New Jersey lawmakers should begin by passing ACR73 and SCR62. These concurrent resolutions, already introduced in the state Senate and Assembly, would declare the new independent-contractor rule inconsistent with legislative intent and would invalidate it. That’s the quick fix to stop the very real threat that is causing even some of the highest-earning professions to seek carveout protections before the rule takes effect October 1.

    Phoenix Logistics Workers Send Teamsters Bosses Packing With Successful Petition for Decertification

    July 7, 2026 // Employees at Phoenix Logistics, LLC in Fort Dix have successfully regained their independence from International Brotherhood of Teamsters union bosses. This came as a result of employee Nicholas Rapa filing a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), which called for a “decertification” election to remove Teamsters Local 35 as the exclusive bargaining “representative” of Rapa and his coworkers, medical equipment operators assigned to Fort Dix for training.

    Pennsylvania minimum wage bill stalls in state senate amid push for $15 an hour

    July 1, 2026 // Citing the Pennsylvania Independent Fiscal Office, many GOP members say an increase in the minimum wage would result in layoffs, reduced hours, increased costs to customers, and the destruction of small businesses. At this point, House Bill 2189 remains in the Senate but off the table and unlikely to be debated or voted on—at least for now.

    New Jersey’s Sean Spiller Wants to Lead the NEA. These Teachers Say Follow the Money 

    June 29, 2026 // Spiller is seeking the presidency of the National Education Association (NEA)—the NJEA’s national affiliate—roughly a year after unsuccessfully running for governor. Roselle teacher Dr. Marie Dupont and Hamilton Township teacher Ann Marie Pocklembo allege in a lawsuit that Spiller and other NJEA officials backed his primary campaign with $40 million of union members’ mandatory dues without their consent. The teachers argue that by funneling their dues through a union-controlled PAC and political organizations with union ties, the NJEA violated its contract with members.

    Kavin: How To Be An Anti-Socialist

    June 26, 2026 // If moderate Democrats want to distance themselves from the party's socialist surge, a good place to start is by protecting independent contractors.

    Freelance Busting: The Lady Problem

    June 15, 2026 // The Legislature should support this concurrent resolution, not just because of testimony in recent months that revealed employee misclassification isn’t a big problem in the first place, but also to make clear that the state supports all of us women who own and operate New Jersey’s smallest of small businesses. We are the translators, the financial advisers, the graphic designers, the traveling nurses, the dog walkers, the wedding planners, the writers, the photographers and so many, many more types of professionals who are worthy of real protection against this relentless, remorseless freelance busting.

    Opinion: How a century-old railway law sows modern transit havoc

    June 4, 2026 // As private commuter rail operations went bust over time and became absorbed by state agencies such as New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, they still mostly remained under RLA jurisdiction. This peculiarity has proven disastrous. Ordinary economic constraints no longer apply to union negotiations. The need to remain profitable is gone, and with it the danger that management would order a lockout in the middle of a contract dispute. But the right to strike has remained. It gives the unions license to make unreasonable demands, knowing that the people on the other side of the table could squeeze taxpayers and riders for more money.