WEC Staff

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.

On March 21st 2013, the NJ State Appellate Court ruled to allow the NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to issue waivers of important environmental and worker protections. THEY GOT IT WRONG! But, our Legislators can still override the rule to ensure safeguards that will protect our environment and workplaces. The DEP's waiver rule sets up a process to let wealthy corporations and individuals simply ignore the law. That's why twenty-eight labor and environmental organizations, including WEC, filed a lawsuit to block the DEP waiver rule. Governor Christie's Executive Order #2 mandated every state agency to create waivers that would essentially allow them to deregulate themselves. The first agency to enact a waiver rule was the Department of Environmental Protection. We need our Legislators to uphold safeguards that protect workers, communities, and the environment. Tell your Legislators to override the DEP waiver rule and all future waiver rules. TAKE ACTION Sign a petition to save our safeguards now! *We, the undersigned, call on all NJ legislators to stand up for our families and communities and... * Vote for resolutions that reject the waiver rules issued by the first two state agencies so far - the Department of Environmental Protection and Division [...]