Press Releases

The New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC), which includes major labor unions, as well as community, and environmental allies, announced today at a Trenton press conference that it was joining a lawsuit against the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's new "waiver rule". WEC issued this statement: "Gov. Christie's administration is going one agency at a time to roll out new rules allowing corporations to violate state laws. These new rules will jeopardize safeguards that protect all of us - at work, at home, and in our community. See the Press Release here

Responding to issuance of a final rule by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) encouraging DEP to grant waivers to corporations seeking to avoid health and environmental safeguards, environmental and labor organizations issued this joint statement: Governor Christie has directed his Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to adopt a "waiver rule" that allows the DEP to gut important environmental, workplace safety, and public health protections at the behest of powerful corporations and special interests. See the Press Release here

On September 6, 2011, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) issued landmark New Jersey regulations for safe patient handling and violence prevention in hospitals and nursing homes. See the Press Release here

New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) Director Rick Engler issued this statement responding to EPA's action ordering a New Jersey ambulance company to cease using misting machines to disinfect its vehicles with toxic chemicals that have sickened workers. Go to the EPA Press Release. Go to the New York Times online coverage. See the Press Release here

New EPA Policy Enlists Workers to Identify Hazards During Inspections of Dangerous Facilities A landmark policy issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will for the first time engage employees and their union representatives during environmental inspections of the nation's most dangerous industrial facilities. Front-line workers will assist EPA inspectors by pointing out hazards that could threaten the safety and health of workers, surrounding communities, and the environment. Read EPA's press release and policy. Read the December 2009 letter to EPA Administrator Jackson. See the Press Release here

Governor Christie's Red Tape Review Group is a blueprint for endangering workers and community members who suffer from deadly toxic exposures. See the Press Release here

Yesterday, Senator Lautenberg introduced the Safe Chemicals Act of 2010 moving one step closer to protecting workers and the public from toxic chemicals. See the Press Release here

The Blue Green Alliance and the New Jersey Work Environment Council, along with more than 100 prominent labor and environmental organizations, are asking U.S. EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson to enforce an existing law encouraging worker and union participation during EPA inspections of facilities using extremely hazardous substances. This letter sent to Jackson said allowing workers and their union representatives to point out dangers during agency inspections would help protect both communities and the public. View the Letter to EPA Administrator Jackson See the Press Release here

The Blue Green Alliance announced today that the New Jersey Work Environment Council (WEC) will join the national labor-environmental partnership as a New Jersey affiliate. Formed in 1986 as a result of efforts to pass the state's "Right to Know" laws about hazardous chemicals in workplaces and communities, WEC is the nation's oldest state-based labor-environmental coalition and works to link workers, communities and environmentalists throughout the state of New Jersey. See the Press Release here

Twenty-seven labor, environmental, and community groups today called on Governor Jon Corzine to strike language from a proposed NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) rule that could hide information about potential toxic disasters at industrial facilities from communities across the state. Sign-On Letter of Support from 27 Labor, Environmental and Community Organizations. See the Press Release here