Highlights

Job Opening: Campaign Organizer

The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) is a coalition of labor, community, and environmental organizations advocating for safe, secure jobs and a healthy, sustainable environment. WEC seeks a full-time, experienced campaign organizer. The person hired will have primary responsibility for organizing and advancing WEC’s Healthy Schools Now initiative, while also supporting WEC’s broader organizing, coalition-building, and campaign efforts. Responsibilities Include: Working with the Executive Director and staff to develop, implement, and evaluate campaign strategies, timelines, messaging, and deliverables, while adjusting plans as priorities and circumstances change. Building and maintaining relationships with a diverse coalition of labor, community, environmental, parent, and other partner organizations through one-on-one meetings, campaign planning, events, and presentations. Leading grassroots and grasstops organizing efforts, including recruiting and developing volunteer leaders, mobilizing supporters, organizing petitions, letter-writing, direct actions, and other campaign activities. Coordinating communications and public engagement efforts, including messaging, press conferences, media events, social media campaigns, and outreach to legislators and other public officials. Developing and delivering training for parents, community stakeholders, and emerging leaders to build organizing capacity and strengthen campaign participation. Collaborating with the Executive Director, staff, board members, and coalition partners to advance organizational priorities, campaigns, events, and strategic initiatives; proactively identifying challenges and [...]

By |2026-08-19T11:18:43-04:00August 13th, 2026|Highlights, Job Postings|Comments Off on Job Opening: Campaign Organizer

US sees unprecedented number of chemical plant fatalities in past year

Thirty-six people died from on-the-job chemical accidents in the US in a recent 11-month period, “the largest number of fatalities ever investigated by the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) in a comparable time period,” a top US chemical safety official said in June. This recent rise in US deaths comes amid repeated efforts by the Donald J. Trump administration to defund the CSB and to rewrite a key industrial chemical safety regulation, the Risk Management Program (RMP). The proposed RMP changes, released in February, would save chemical industries billions of dollars and affect more than 11,000 chemical manufacturers and refineries, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. But they would also increase risks to workers at the facilities as well as community members living nearby, say safety advocates, community groups, and the CSB. Read the full story from Chemical and Engineering News here.

By |2026-08-11T10:00:38-04:00August 3rd, 2026|Highlights, Uncategorized, WEC in the News|Comments Off on US sees unprecedented number of chemical plant fatalities in past year

WEC Seeks Industrial Hygiene or Health and Safety Consultant

The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) is a coalition of 70 labor, community, and environmental organizations advocating for safe, secure jobs and a healthy, sustainable environment. WEC seeks an industrial hygiene (IH) or health and safety consultant to provide technical assistance on an as needed basis to WEC members. The primary function of this position will be to identify and resolve environmental health and safety concerns, and to encourage all affected parties to work together in creating a safe and healthy workplace. Responsibilities: The consultant will have these responsibilities: • Providing technical assistance with emphasis on organizing. • Presenting workshops on topics such as using health and safety organizing. • Interpreting IH reports into terms for a popular audience. (No IH sampling involved.) • Attending and occasionally speaking at meetings and workshops of unions, community, and environmental organizations. • On occasion, providing training to workers, parents and community stakeholders. • Developing or edit materials including but not limited to fact sheets. Qualifications: • 3+ years of experience in environmental or occupational safety consulting or related field. • Experience with OSHA/EPA Regulations and NJDOL/NJDEP Regulations • Excellent written and verbal communication skills • A valid driver’s license and car access are [...]

By |2026-08-19T11:10:44-04:00July 1st, 2026|Highlights, Job Postings|Comments Off on WEC Seeks Industrial Hygiene or Health and Safety Consultant

Federal Chemical Safety Board Sends Warning on Trump Disaster Policy

Story By Hiroko Tabuchi New York Times, May 14, 2026 For a year now, the Chemical Safety Board, a small independent federal agency that investigates chemical spills and other disasters has faced elimination under President Trump's budget cuts. That hasn't stopped the Board from taking on the Trump administration. Read more here.

By |2026-06-22T21:47:51-04:00May 14th, 2026|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off on Federal Chemical Safety Board Sends Warning on Trump Disaster Policy

Heat stress affects students AND staff — What to do?

Heat stress affects students AND staff By Dorothy Wigmore a long-time health and safety specialist and WEC consultant. She has worked in Canada, the U.S. and Mozambique, focusing on prevention and worker participation to fix job-related hazards.  It’s hard to ignore the heat-related warnings about the climate emergency in New Jersey: The 2025 New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change said the state “continues to warm faster than the rest of the Northeast region and the world.” In 2025, a 30-year analysis found that higher temperatures increase the odds of heat waves in the state, and they’re likely to get more frequent and intense, with less daily cooling. The state’s Extreme Heat Resilience Action Plan includes protecting workers. Read the full article in the NJEA Review here. Below are additional resources that are not in the Review article. Resources California Department of Public Health, CDPH health guidance for schools on sports and strenuous activities during extreme heat: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/EPO/Pages/Extreme%20Heat%20Pages/extreme-heat-guidance-for-schools.aspx Center for Climate Integrity, Hotter days, higher costs. Crisis in America’s classrooms: https://coolingcrisis.org/ National Education Association, “It’s getting hot in here: Without air conditioning, students and staff suffer”: https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/its-getting-hot-here-without-air-conditioning-students-and-staff-suffer New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Air source heat pumps: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/air-source-heat-pumps New Jersey Education Association (2021), “Tackle harmful heat with ventilation [...]

By |2026-08-17T12:42:52-04:00April 23rd, 2026|Fact Sheets, Highlights|Comments Off on Heat stress affects students AND staff — What to do?

Too hot, poor ventilation, overlooked: Newark’s East Ward students are learning in decades-old buildings

While Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s proposed budget does not add new money to the SDA, Maggie Garbarino, Sherrill’s deputy press secretary, said her administration will follow an existing funding schedule established in 2023 that will add $350 million for school construction projects that have already been started and an additional $50 million for emergency repairs in high-poverty districts this budget cycle. Read more here.

By |2026-07-09T12:20:01-04:00March 31st, 2026|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off on Too hot, poor ventilation, overlooked: Newark’s East Ward students are learning in decades-old buildings

Health and Safety Protections Against Chemical Emergencies Eliminated and Weakened in New Trump EPA Proposal

Washington, D.C. — Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed to delay, weaken, and dismantle key safeguards against chemical emergencies and disasters, while millions of people nationwide, including children, live daily in harm’s way near industrial chemical facilities. The  latest Trump plan threatens the lives and safety of  the over 177 million Americans who live in worst-case scenario zones near chemical facilities. The proposal increases the likelihood of chemical emergencies and disasters for workers, first responders, and children and families who live within a chemical danger zone,  breaking the administration’s promises to “make America healthy.” Read More here.

By |2026-07-09T12:20:45-04:00February 17th, 2026|Highlights, Uncategorized, WEC in the News|Comments Off on Health and Safety Protections Against Chemical Emergencies Eliminated and Weakened in New Trump EPA Proposal

A $10.5B school construction bond could help fix Newark’s old school buildings

A proposed $10.5 billion state school construction bond could unlock new funding for Newark Public Schools and other school districts in the state to address longstanding needs for new schools and urgent repairs. Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz introduced legislation Thursday that, if approved, would ask voters in November to authorize new state bonds for school construction, expansion, and renovation projects in high-poverty districts as well as others. Read more here.

By |2026-07-09T12:21:11-04:00February 6th, 2026|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off on A $10.5B school construction bond could help fix Newark’s old school buildings
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