Highlights

WEC Divests from Wall Street In 1981, the Reagan administration enacted a slew of financial deregulations and tax reforms which made private equity and hedge fund activity significantly more profitable. This included cutting the tax on capital gains, and legalizing stock buybacks – a practice previously considered illegal stock manipulation. In 1982, U.S. Secretary Treasurer William Simon, with two partners, borrowed $79 million, mostly from large banks, to purchase Gibson Greetings, one of the largest greeting card companies in the U.S. The purchase saddled Gibson Greeting with millions of dollars of debt, debt which fell on the company itself. To pay it off, workers’ wages, pensions, and benefits were slashed.  Sixteen months later, they sold Gibson Greeting, resulting in massive profits for themselves and the bankers and investors involved. This began a trend in a deregulated financial sector: big banks irresponsibly lend money to greedy private equity firms and hedge funds, who make billions off debt financing by piling it onto workers. The reckless activities of big banks and Wall Street is largely responsible for stagnant wages for workers. It has led to the erosion of tax bases and public services in the United States. The New Jersey Work Environment [...]

You're invited to attend the NJ Work Environment Council TRAINING PROGRAM: PREVENTING EXPOSURE TO WORKPLACE CHEMICALS When: Tuesday, May 15, 9:00 AM - 12:30 PM (8:30 AM Registration) Location: NJ Work Environment Council, 7 Dunmore Avenue, Ewing, NJ 08618 Register Here Are you aware of the major changes to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HazCom) Standard and how it is now aligned with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals? Employers have a responsibility under OSHA’s HazCom Standard to educate and train employees about the chemicals they work with and how to protect themselves from any potential hazards. Join us for an interactive workshop as we discuss: • Assessing chemical hazards and understanding safety data sheets • OSHA’s HazCom standard • Identifying safety system failures Click here to register and for more information. The OSHA speaker is not funded by the Harwood Grant. This material was produced under grant SH-31183-SH7 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Working people can’t seem to get ahead. As we watch the news, engage in our communities, and organize around our respective issues, it becomes more and more apparent that we are operating in a rigged economy, which works for the privileged few. Wall Street’s power and influence continues to thwart progress on our most basic needs, on issues like public health, environmental protection, workers’ rights, and civil rights. The most fundamental component of our democracy, our ability to organize and successfully advocate for our needs, has been undermined. Join us on May 31st and June 1st, at NJEA Headquarters in Trenton (180 W. State Street) to learn how our economy, and our democracy, have been strip-mined by financial institutions. This intensive training will involve materials developed by WEC and Les Leopold, author of Runaway Inequality and director of The Labor Institute. We’ve already trained 65 educators, who are working across Jersey to share this content within their organizations, spreading the word to fellow activists. Join the discussion on direct actions that we can take to address the fundamental inequalities in our system. Space is limited to 20 participants.  Apply now for the Public Need over Corporate Greed Trainer Apprenticeship Program [...]