In another stunning display of political ignorance, the members of Local 1040 are being thrown under the wheels of the
bus once again.
Senator Steve Sweeney and Assemblyman Nelson Albano introduced legislation that would provide PAY for people who are out
on an eligible State of NJ Family Leave to care for a sick family member or for the birth or adoption of a child.
Politically, this is the best chance we will have in passing this Bill. Governor Corzine has promised to sign it if
it passes both Houses.
The Senate Bill (S-2249) passed the Senate Labor Committee with Amendments on 2/5/07 and was referred to the Senate Budget
and Appropriations Committee on the same day. It passed that committee on 5/24/07 with amendments.
The Assembly version of the Bill (A- 3812) was referred to the Assembly Labor Committee on 12/14/06. It languished
there for nearly a year, and then finally died in caucus in December. Carolyn Wade made a feeble attempt to do something
by sending out a letter asking activists to call Assembly leaders. Of course, that letter was ayear too late and just
days before the bill was scheduled to die.
Not one word from our Local leadership had been said about this Bill for nearly a year, but we DID receive a mailing
to call our Governor to try to get the Friday after Thanksgiving off (because our leadership failed to do their primary job
of protecting member rights and negotiating benefits for them). Not even a single sentence on the inside column of a left
hand page of the Viewpoint could be found about calling and lobbying our legislators, and especially, Assemblyman and Speaker,
Joe Roberts, Assemblyman and Deputy Majority Leader Joe Cryan and, of course, Carolyn Wade's close friend (according to her),
Assemblywoman and Majority Leader, Bonnie Watson Coleman. Why would Carolyn Wade not want to use the influence that
she claims to have with the Governor and with Bonnie Watson Coleman to get this Bill pushed through???
Could it be that her influence is all in her head?
Or is it that she just doesn't care about us little people anymore?
This Bill would add a mere .04% more to the Temporary Disability Insurance tax that we already pay... and only on the first
$26,600 of salary each year. In short, it would cost under $48 a year (that's $.92 each week average) In
return, it will pay 2/3rds of your salary for 10 weeks while you take care of a sick family member, tend to a newborn child,
or tend to your newly adopted child.
It's a no-brainer to most, but when Senator Sweeney reintroduced the bill (S-786) and it was heard in the Senate Budget
and Appropriations committee on January 28,2008, Local 1040 testimony was absent once again. More importantly, she didn't
see it as important enough to even notify the activists or to try to contact her close friend, Senator Shirley Turner
who had vowed to vote AGAINST the bill, as she had in the previous session. No matter though, We got it through without
her, proving once again that as a Union leader in NJ, Carolyn Wade is inconsequential.
This bill benefits our members and it is exactly what a labor organization should be trying to get passed.
Of course, when you have no political savvy or clout, you have to work twice as hard to get the job done. Sixty
other Unions, including two (2) other CWA locals are members of a coalition trying to get this passed, but not Local 1040:
http://www.njp4wf.org/membership.php
Unfortunately, Carolyn Wade and her Executive Vice President (and head of the Local's Political activities) Don Klein
have failed to even start the hard work of getting this legislation passed. And without an influx of political contributions
to the right people, we are not likely to get much in the way of political clout; however, with the voices of our members
calling and/or writing as private citizens or union members, the politicians will have no choice but to listen.
The time to act is now. Click here to help: http://www.njp4wf.org/?a=pnj&u=pfl32
Local 1040 needs to be returned to the members. We need leaders that are responsive to our needs. Leaders who
are also politically savvy and who will FIGHT for our members, and not back down to management or cut deals that hurt us.
We need to regain ourt seat at the head of the table and return to the Local that once dominated the labor and political
scenes.
