"It can't happen here." That's what most of us think when we hear about toxic chemical disasters. It's a comforting thought - except that if you live in New Jersey, it unfortunately is just not true. Full Article by John Pajak, Vice President, Teamsters Local 877 & WEC President October 13, 2013 - The Star Ledger
A new report by the New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) says millions of Garden State residents are still at risk from toxic chemical disasters five years after the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) adopted rules to implement the New Jersey Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act that were supposed to drastically reduce that risk. See Article Here
A coalition of labor, environmental, and community organizations claims New Jersey is still at risk from toxic chemical disasters. See Article Here
The New Jersey Work Environment Council released a new study of how the state's industries are faring when it comes to reducing the risk of environmental disaster, and they called for more action from Trenton in encouraging businesses to adopt safer practices. See Article Here
New Jersey jobs and millions of residents are still at risk from toxic chemical disaster - five years after the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) under former Gov. Jon Corzine adopted rules to implement the NJ Toxic Catastrophe Prevention Act that were supposed to drastically reduce that risk. Report: Failure to Act: New Jersey Jobs and Communities are Still at Risk from Toxic Chemical Disasters See the Press Release here
July 18, 2013 - Governor Christie vetoed S1778 today. This bill would have helped to better protect and provide for medical care and treatment for all our first responders. Go to the HPAE website to read a statement from Ann Twomey, President, HPAE. Background Read the Star Ledger Guest Opinion Piece Protect those Who Protect New Jerseyans written by Dominick Marino, President of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, Ann Twomey, President of Health Professionals and Allied Employees, and Ed Brannigan, President of the New Jersey Fraternal Order of Police.
Should New Jersey make it easy for wealthy campaign contributors to get waivers from the state to violate public safeguards that protect our jobs, rights at work, health and safety, or pocketbooks as consumers? Stephen Sweeney, the state Senate president, has the power to decide. Full Article by Natasha Lavard, member of the Paulsboro Action Committee, and Denise Patel, former project coordinator, WEC July 9, 2013 - The Star Ledger
A coalition of 43 religious, minority, parent and union groups is urging Gov. Chris Christie to speed up school repairs in the state's poorest cities, where they say dozens of public schools have fallen into disrepair. Hundreds of projects in Newark, Irvington, Trenton and other cities have been frozen for years and Christie should fast-track them this summer before children return to school, the groups wrote in a letter to the Republican governor this week. See Article Here View the Letter to Governor Christie
Given last week's two deadly chemical plant explosions in Louisiana, not to mention April's fatal explosion at a fertilizer storage facility in West, Texas, new federal legislation tightening chemical plant safety and security is needed, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH) said today. See the Press Release here
WEC Director Rick Engler issued the following statement on learning of the death of U.S. Senator Frank R. Lautenberg: "Frank Lautenberg was a powerful champion in our state and nation whose interest was always to protect the health and safety of workers, people, and the public. See the Press Release here