Tell the Legislature, "NJ Needs Paid Family Leave, NOW!"

Excellent! (4.00 / 1)

This is the type of lobby effort that is needed by ALL unions.

I continue to  ask , where are the big state wide unions? I know that CWA has 80,000 members but only Carla Katz is active in this effort( her union is having a rally in Trenton on Monday).

A universal union push will get this passed an the unions can help not only their membership but all working people, union or non-union.

Way to go BCCTLC!

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by: firstamend07 @ Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 22:36:19 PM UTC

monday when and where? (0.00 / 0)

can you share info about this rally so i can make sure bluejersey has coverage of this event?

please?

activist for hire.

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by: Jay Lassiter @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 13:56:01 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Katz CWA Rally (0.00 / 0)

We've gone into "overdrive" trying to save the bill from what would be a devastating carve out of small business (and half the NJ workforce). We are preparing radio spots, full page ads and a number of press actions in the next two weeks. We knew the Assembly was not going to post the bill this week (they are going to have a full caucus discussion on the 13th) but there is still time to pass it in lame duck. 

If you can make the PFL lobby day on Monday, Dec 10, please come and encourage others to join us.  We're hoping for a big turnout (8:30 a.m. at the War memorial and then on to the Statehouse).  Letters to the Editor of any paper supporting the bill is also helpful.  I've personally worked on this issue for more than ten years (as have a lot of folks) and now that we can see the light at the end of the tunnel we're going to give it our all.  Thanks, and in solidarity, Carla

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by: firstamend07 @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 22:00:11 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

?? (4.00 / 1)

are you Carla?

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by: Juan Melli @ Thu Dec 06, 2007 at 23:49:13 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OMG! n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Creed Pogue @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 00:31:01 AM UTC

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Yipes No! (0.00 / 0)

Sorry I meant to take out the last part of that correspondence.

My bad!

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 00:38:38 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

didn't think so (0.00 / 0)

you seem to be a South Jersey person, but just checking...

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by: Juan Melli @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 00:58:05 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Assembly Labor Committee News (0.00 / 0)

This from Gannett tonight:

TRENTON -- The chairman of the Assembly Labor Committee said today he expects his committee to meet again this session to consider a bill to guarantee workers paid family leave.

The measure has not moved in the Assembly and remains before the Assembly Labor Committee, which concluded its last scheduled meeting Thursday morning. But chairman Assemblyman Joseph V. Egan, D-Middlesex, said he expects his committee to meet again. And if so, Egan said, the family leave proposal backed by incoming Senate Majority Leader Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, and Gov. Jon S. Corzine will be on the agenda.

"I believe we will have another session, barring anything, and I believe it will be on," Egan said. "I am definitely in favor of it. At some point in time in history you will see this as important as putting in Social Security."

Assembly Democrats have said they will discuss the matter privately next Thursday to see if there's support to get it approved during the lame-duck legislative session, as advocates for the plan are pushing.

After Thursday, the only date planned for Assembly committees to meet is Jan. 3.

Those advocates, who expect few workers to use the program, say the plan allows workers to be paid two-thirds of their salary, up to $502 a week, through an employee-funded program if they need to take off to care for a newborn or sick family member.

Business groups fighting the measure say it will disrupt their operations and put them at a competitive disadvantage compared with peers in other states.

Some critics are also leery of increasing a tax -- not more than $50 per year -- on workers.

"It's a tax increase on every worker in the state of New Jersey," Assemblyman Michael Doherty, R-Warren, said. "Every paycheck you're going to be paying this, and I oppose higher taxes."

It's unclear whether that concern is permeating through the majority's caucus.

"No one's reached out for me, so I don't know what the concerns are," Egan said.

Gregory J. Volpe: gvolpe@gannett.com

It appears Assemblyman Egan needsto be " reached out to".

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 02:19:26 AM UTC

reach out (0.00 / 0)

AsmEgan@njleg.org

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by: Juan Melli @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 03:03:54 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

17 Assembly Democrats Support Paid Family Leave (0.00 / 0)

Bill Number: A3812 

Albano, Nelson T.  as Primary Sponsor
Panter, Michael J.  as Primary Sponsor
Oliver, Sheila Y.  as Primary Sponsor
Van Drew, Jeff  as Primary Sponsor
Vas, Joseph  as Co-Sponsor
Giblin, Thomas P.  as Co-Sponsor
Burzichelli, John J.  as Co-Sponsor
Stender, Linda  as Co-Sponsor
Johnson, Gordon M.  as Co-Sponsor
Scalera, Frederick  as Co-Sponsor
Egan, Joseph V.  as Co-Sponsor
Diegnan, Patrick J., Jr.  as Co-Sponsor
Gordon, Robert M.  as Co-Sponsor
Payne, William D.  as Co-Sponsor
Vainieri Huttle, Valerie  as Co-Sponsor
Greenstein, Linda R.  as Co-Sponsor
Hackett, Mims, Jr. as Co-Sponsor
 

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 03:03:22 AM UTC

Co-sponsors voting no? (0.00 / 0)

It's my understanding that Scalera and Gordon are waivering on this bill. People from their districts should be sure to call them.

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by: Christopher @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 04:30:31 AM UTC

[ Parent ]

Need 24 from this list for passage (0.00 / 0)

Non-Committed Assembly Democrats regarding A3812 Paid Family Leave:

Bodine
Carabello
Chivukula
Cohen
Conaway
Conners
Cruz-Perez
Cryan
Evans
Fisher
Gordon
Green
Greenwald
Gusciora
Jasey
Lampitt
Manzo
Mayer
McKeon
Moriarty
Pou
Prieto
Quigely
Roberts
Stack
Stanley
Truitt
Vega
Voss
Watson-Coleman
Whelan
Wisniewski

A phone call or e-mail to any or all will help get this bill passed.

Are there 24 votes here?
 

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 03:34:38 AM UTC

Anti-Family Democratic Party? (0.00 / 0)

Not a single Republican vote is needed in either the Senate or the Assembly ( although I am sure some Family oriented Republican Legislators will vote YES) for Paid Family Leave to pass.

Ths success of this Bill is on the heads of the State Democrats. They are either going to stand with those who want to make the Family the #1 priority or they are going to stand with those who want to force  people to choose between a sick family member and losing a job.

The choice is clear.

As the leaders in the Assembly Cryan and Roberts are either pro-Family or anti-Family. 

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by: firstamend07 @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 11:46:00 AM UTC

Joan Voss (4.00 / 1)

Joan Voss (D-38) is leaning NO! Please reach out to her. Phone # (201) 346-6400. email: aswvoss@njleg.org.

Now my friends, I am opposed to the system of society in which we live today, not because I lack the natural equipment to do for myself but because I am not satisfied to make myself comfortable knowing that there are thousands of my fellow men who suffer

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by: evdebs @ Fri Dec 07, 2007 at 15:52:35 PM UTC

Done.... *Any* Democrat Failing To Support This Should Be Primaried n/t (0.00 / 0)

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 18:43:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Assembly Democrats are Bailing (4.00 / 1)

It appears that a 10 week Paid Family Leave Bill will not even be discussed by Assembly Democrats in caucus on Thursday. Even some of the sponsers are now backing away from the 10 weeks.

A six week Bill will be discussed but Assembly Democrats REALLY , REALLY  do not want to bring it out of caucus.

Quite frankly the Business community has done a much better job of lobbying against this bill than the Labor community has done for it.

Up until two weeks ago the majority of Labor was sitting on its hands. They put lobbying on auto pilot. Kirschner out worked them .

As documented before CWA did more to have its members lobby for Black Friday off then they did , collectively, for a Bill that has been talked about in Labor circles for over 10 years.

There is a lesson to be learned for the Labor community here.

Labors number one enemy in this State is complacency.

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by: firstamend07 @ Sat Dec 08, 2007 at 00:29:16 AM UTC

Death Penalty Today/Paid Family Leave Thursday (4.00 / 1)

Due to the unique set up of lame duck the lobbying for these two bills is now condensed into 4 days.

The list of legisators who so far have not committed to supporting the Pro-Family Paid Family Leave Bill has been attached to this posting. Business has done a good job of making this an economic debate. It is not an economic debate, it is a Pro or Anti Family debate.

Tha Assembly Democrats are worried about a business backlash. I think they should start to be worried about a " Family" backlash.

Four days to lobby for two bills. We will know a lot about our State on Friday.

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by: firstamend07 @ Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 11:35:28 AM UTC

On The Subject of "Backlash"... (0.00 / 0)

What does it say about our incumbents when it seems the only way to get them to do the right thing is to threaten them with the loss of their jobs?

Ideally, our elected leaders would simply do what is moral and just and sensible BECAUSE it is moral and just and sensible.

If it is only fear that rules them, well....then (for now at least) we have to make sure that they are more afraid of the actual PEOPLE they represent than they are of the monied interests that seem to own them.

Ultimately, the solution is 100% public financing of all campaigns.

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by: Nick Lento @ Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 18:50:46 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

True, but... (0.00 / 0)

Absolutely true, but right now it is LOBBY TIME!

This Bill can pass yet.

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by: firstamend07 @ Mon Dec 10, 2007 at 21:52:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]