WEC Staff, Author at Work Environment Council

Intern with WEC

Are you interested in working with a progressive organization to advance labor and environmental policies in New Jersey? The NJ Work Environment Council (WEC), an alliance of 70 labor, environmental, and community organizations, working for safe, secure jobs and a healthy, sustainable environment, provides regular internship opportunities. Interns will assist with the following WEC led campaigns: Healthy Schools Now: To demand that all New Jersey children and school employees learn and work in safe, modern school buildings. Public Need Over Corporate Greed: To educate thousands of activists about the effects of Wall Street’s financial strip mining on our economy and empower them to take action on a state-based policy agenda. Addressing Climate Change: To push for meaningful energy and climate policy changes in New Jersey. Respect Our Right to Know: To ensure our right to know about rail car hazards; safer alternatives at industrial facilities; the real names of chemicals; and municipal and county emergency response plans. Preventing Chemical Disasters: To strengthen Federal chemical safety and security laws to incorporate safer chemicals and processes where feasible. Internship work includes interacting with labor, environmental, and community organizations and other allies. There will also be opportunities to assist with research, training programs, actions, [...]

By WEC Staff|2016-10-28T05:03:00-04:00October 28th, 2016|Job Postings|Comments Off

WEC, Environment NJ, Legislative Leaders & Allies Endorse Bill Mandating Testing & Remediation of Lead in School Drinking Water

Asw. Maher-Muoio and Sen. Turner Sponsored Legislation is Crucial Legislative Fix to Lead in School Drinking Water With recent reports of lead in the water supplies of schools in the local and national media spotlight, the need for broad legislative solutions is sadly more pressing than ever. The NJ Work Environment Council, Environment New Jersey and allies strongly endorse A-3539/S-2082, model legislation that will require public and non-public schools to test for and remediate lead in drinking water, and disclose test results in a proactive, transparent manner. Joined on the steps of Trenton’s Grace A. Dunn Middle School by the bills’ prime sponsors Assemblywoman Elizabeth Maher-Mouio (D-Mercer) and Senator Shirley Turner (D-Mercer), a diverse group of community representatives and dedicated activists spoke about the need to support this much needed legislation. “Lead poisoning is insidious because it is cumulative, irreversible and leads to a lifetime of developmental and physical disabilities,” said Assemblywoman Maher-Muoio (D-Mercer, Hunterdon). “In the simplest of terms, we need to be doing more to protect New Jersey’s children from lead. We need to test, and currently, New Jersey schools and daycare centers aren’t required to check their drinking water for elevated levels of lead.” “It’s imperative that we [...]

By WEC Staff|2016-10-19T03:01:51-04:00October 19th, 2016|Press Releases|Comments Off

Notice of intent given to file lawsuit against Linden

The New Jersey Work Environment Council, along with Teamsters Local 877, has put the city of Linden on notice, stating that they will file suit against the city on behalf of workers at the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery and Watco Crude Rail Terminal, both located in Linden. The NJWEC and the Teamsters claim that Linden Mayor Derek Armstead has failed to provide the public with a current Emergency Response Plan in the event of a chemical fire, explosion, or toxic emergency. The NJWEC and the union said in a statement that Armstead is violating federal law that requires public access to local emergency response plan in Linden. John Pajak, president of Teamsters Local 877 and WEC Board member told LocalSource in an email that Linden officials are simply ignoring the public’s right to safety information. “City officials obviously believe that they can just ignore the public’s legal right to information about our own safety, Pajak said. “It is egregious that the workers at these facilities can’t access the ERP. The town and the facility are woefully unprepared with man and machine to deal with a catastrophic event.” See the article in the Union News Daily here

By WEC Staff|2016-10-17T02:58:31-04:00October 17th, 2016|WEC in the News|Comments Off

Urban schools need more than buildings

Fiercely opposed by a phalanx of public school advocates, even Gov. Chris Christie’s allies are decidedly tepid about his self-proclaimed “Fairness Formula,” his last-ditch attempt to finish his two terms with a bang, capping his relentless efforts to privatize, expand charters and defund New Jersey’s urban school districts. Although the likelihood of it passing is nil by most accounts, recent developments surrounding a new Camden High School highlight the absurdity and contradictions of the governor’s dubious school funding formula idea. The governor’s recent public announcement highlighting his implicit support of the state’s obligation to build schools in SDA districts directly contradicts the foundational arguments for his “Fairness Formula.” Full opinion-editorial by Jerell Blakeley, WEC campaign organizer online The Daily News, October 12, 2016

By WEC Staff|2016-10-12T16:44:34-04:00October 12th, 2016|Highlights, Opinion Pieces|Comments Off

WEC and Teamsters Local 877 Put the City of Linden on Notice: Stop Endangering Residents and Violating Federal Law

Mayor Derek Armstead of the City of Linden, NJ has failed to carry out his legal responsibility under federal law for ensuring that the public has access to an up-to-date Emergency Response Plan (ERP) in the event of a chemical fire, explosion or other toxic emergency. Today, Teamsters Local 877 and NJ Work Environment Council (WEC) filed the required 60-day notice of the intent to file suit against the city of Linden for violating federal law. Under Section 326 of Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA) citizens have the authority to file civil actions against violators of EPCRA. Since February 2014, WEC and Teamsters Local 877, representing chemical and terminal workers at the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery and Watco Crude Rail Terminal, located in Linden, have repeatedly requested access to Linden’s ERP and have been denied on multiple occasions. The most recent denial occurred on June 29, 2016. Linden continues to keep community members and workers at industrial facilities within its’ municipal borders in the dark. This is despite both the US Environmental Protection Agency and NJ State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) issuing documents in 2015 regarding the legal obligation to publicly disclose ERPs and the importance of [...]

By WEC Staff|2016-10-05T15:39:55-04:00October 5th, 2016|Highlights, Press Releases|Comments Off

Environmental Justice Climate Policy Event

WEC recently partnered with Greenfaith, Environment New Jersey, and the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance to host a lunch and learn at the Ironbound Community Corporation in Newark. More than 35 grassroots leaders participated in the meeting and ensuing discussion. Aaron Jones of 32BJ SEIU gave an overview of the NY Renews initiative, a broad-based coalition effort in New York striving to tackle the climate and inequality crises head-on. To view Mr. Jones' presentation, please click here. Dr. Nicky Sheats presented on the environmental justice concerns with carbon trading and provided insights on the Clean Power Plan. To view Dr. Sheats' presentation, slides, please click here. For more information about WEC's work on climate change policy, or to be notified about future events, please contact Dan Fatton at [email protected].

By WEC Staff|2016-09-27T21:18:21-04:00September 27th, 2016|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off

WEC Launches Campaign to Address Runaway Inequality

For Immediate Release, September 26, 2016 The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) is pleased to announce our new campaign to address Runaway Inequality. In partnership with The Labor Institute, NJEA and New Jersey Policy Perspective, WEC is launching a campaign aimed at addressing and reversing the outsized influence of corporations and ending the financial strip mining of our economy by Wall Street firms. WEC has hired Brandon Castro as campaign organizer, and plans to partner with Les Leopold, author of the book, Runaway Inequality, and director of The Labor Institute. The goal is to coordinate a large education initiative to train thousands of activists to help confront corporate power in New Jersey. Brandon Castro most recently worked as a campaign organizer for several student groups including United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS), the nation’s largest youth-led labor campaign organization, which advocates for economic justice in partnership with worker and community organizations. For USAS, Castro worked in direct solidarity with workers, putting pressure on garment manufacturers to sign international health and safety accords and to allow independent monitoring organizations to inspect factories. Brandon also previously served as an intern for WEC, assisting with the Respect Our Right to Know campaign, health and [...]

By WEC Staff|2016-09-26T16:42:09-04:00September 26th, 2016|Press Releases|Comments Off

2016 WEC Awards Dinner Honoree Bios

WEC is pleased and honored to recognize five outstanding leaders at our 2016 Awards Dinner, which will also serve as our 30th Anniversary Celebration. Colandus “Kelly” Francis, President, Camden County Branch of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Colandus "Kelly" Francis is President of the Camden County Branch of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Kelly was born in Enfield, North Carolina, and lived in Newport News, Virginia until his family moved to Camden, NJ in 1949. He continues to reside in the Parkside areas where his family members have lived for the past 45 years. Kelly is a graduate of Hatch Jr. High and Camden High schools and attended Salem County Community College, Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University. He worked for 34 years for the U.S. Postal Service and retired as an electronic technician in the field of automation and computer technology in 1989. While with the postal service, he served as a union officer for the American Postal Workers Union, holding various offices including general president. He is currently serving in several volunteer capacities as president of the Camden County NAACP, vice president [...]

By WEC Staff|2016-10-31T17:44:50-04:00September 25th, 2016|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Healthy Schools Now Coalition Meeting

On September 20, more than 25 representatives from diverse labor, educational and community organizations assembled at NJEA headquarters in Trenton, NJ for the inaugural Healthy Schools Now coalition meeting of the 2016-17 academic year. Coalition meeting participants enjoyed a presentation on Governor Christie’s proposed school funding formula from Education Law Center’s managing director Theresa Luhm, and a presentation on rethinking educational environments from NJ Environmental Justice Alliance’s campaign organizer Nicole Scott-Harris. Both presentations are available online here. Healthy Schools Now coalition members had a robust conversation on the next steps in the fight for healthy and school schools for all of New Jersey’s students. Several leaders reiterated the need for enhanced cross-coalition partnerships. Over the next few months, the Healthy Schools Now campaign will be working with elected officials, community and labor organizations on expanding educational equity and social justice, ensuring proper school nutrition, helping to push the temperature control bill through the legislative process, and increasing bonding capacity for the NJ School Development Authority. Join Healthy Schools Now coalition members for our next meeting on November 29, 2016 beginning at 10 AM at NJEA Headquarters in Trenton, NJ.

By WEC Staff|2016-09-22T21:18:00-04:00September 22nd, 2016|WEC in the News|Comments Off

Why N.J. schools close when there’s sweltering heat

"With our state in the throes of knock down, drag out fights surrounding competing and different educational funding philosophies, one area of near certain agreement is that all students deserve a safe and healthy learning environment. Passing temperature control legislation and working with school districts to create common sense plans for addressing this increasingly common hazard would take us closer to realizing safe and healthy learning environments for all of New Jersey public school students. " Full opinion-editorial by Jerell Blakeley, WEC campaign organizer in The Star Ledger, September 21, 2016

By WEC Staff|2016-09-21T21:18:00-04:00September 21st, 2016|Highlights, Opinion Pieces|Comments Off

WEC Staff

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