WEC in the News Archives - Page 6 of 13 - Work Environment Council

Pandemic v. Schools – National Coalition for Healthier Schools Plan for Safe Reopening

School Buildings and Occupants Can Speed or Slow the Spread of COVID-19 Jul. 9, 2020 / PRZen / SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- As pressure mounts for schools to reopen this fall, awareness is growing of the need for specific plans on how schools will not just open, but stay open, by protecting the health of children and their families, teachers, administrators and school staff. By their nature, schools are an environment conducive to the spread of illnesses, including COVID-19. They are densely occupied for long periods and have a well-documented history of deferred maintenance which has resulted in well-known problems with ventilation and indoor air and plumbing, and challenges in cleaning. The virus is not going away. Moreover, the poorest communities hardest hit by COVID-19 also send their children to the poorest schools in the worst condition, making this a supremely challenging health and education equity and rights problem with no quick solution. Over 60 national public health and healthy school leaders joined the Coalition for Healthier Schools today to release a National Call to Action for state health agencies to provide an authoritative School Infection Prevention and Control Plan to all schools to adopt. The current piecemeal approach to no-plan-just-open, will clearly deepen the [...]

By WEC Staff|2020-07-16T15:56:18-04:00July 13th, 2020|Covid-19, Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off

NJEA, Others Want National School Reopening Guideline Consensus

Because no one is really sure what the pandemic will look like in two months, the New Jersey Education Association is one of several groups backing a National Call to Action to raise awareness of the need for infection prevention and control plans with the goal of keeping schools open in the 2020-21 academic year. "The CDC guidelines are a minimum," Steve Beatty, NJEA secretary-treasurer, said in a Thursday afternoon Zoom call. "We're not going to have to be able to rely on state guidelines, and in talking about school districts, there can be no flexibility when it comes to the health and safety of our students and our educators and everyone in those buildings." The National Call to Action asks that public health agencies provide structured plans to protect not only students but the educators who interact with them — and everyone else who interacts with both groups outside of the schools. "As a parent, I should not be put in the position to have to choose between my child's health or attending school," Debra Coyle McFadden, executive director of the NJ Work Environment Council, said. "And as an advocate for worker safety, a worker should not have to choose between [...]

By WEC Staff|2020-07-13T11:51:05-04:00July 13th, 2020|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off

Will N.J. have enough teachers to reopen schools? Union worried many won’t go back.

School districts have begun to hear from teachers who are requesting to retire early or refusing to return to the classroom during the coronavirus pandemic. Others are asking to teach only from home because they or one of their relatives have health problems. That is raising questions about whether there will be enough certified teachers to teach during the 2020-2021 school year under the state’s new rules limiting the number of students in each classroom, said Steve Beatty, secretary-treasurer of the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union. “That is a real question of whether or not we will physically have enough educators that will return ... That is a growing concern,” Beatty said. The NJEA was among nearly a dozen state and national groups that released a report Thursday, titled “A National Call to Action,” calling on public health agencies to help states come up with more detailed plans to protect students and teachers as schools prepare to reopen. Read More Here

By WEC Staff|2020-07-13T10:34:53-04:00July 13th, 2020|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off

For The Many NJ Applauds Borrowing Deal to Protect Against Budget Cuts

Earlier today, Governor Murphy and Senate President Sweeney announced a deal that would allow New Jersey to borrow funds from the federal government to balance the state budget. In response to this agreement, members of the For The Many NJ coalition release the following statements: Sheila Reynertson, Senior Policy Analyst, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP): “This deal is great news for residents of New Jersey and will set the stage for a stronger and more equitable pandemic recovery. Borrowing at this level will ensure that the most important public services and safety net programs will be there for everyone, especially families who are already struggling. Lawmakers must now work to raise revenue by ending Christie-era tax breaks and require that the very wealthiest pay their fair share in taxes like everyone else.... Read the full press release here.

By WEC Staff|2021-03-10T14:26:08-05:00July 10th, 2020|Press Releases, WEC in the News|Comments Off

Recovery for All: Jersey Renews Releases Roadmap for a Just, Green Recovery to Guide Planning

Jersey Renews, a diverse coalition working toward state-based policy solutions to address climate change, has laid out 10 core principles that must be the foundation for any just, green economic recovery. The report, A Roadmap Toward a Just, Green Recovery, was released and distributed to the co-chairs of Governor Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council, which has been tasked with drafting recommendations on what a long-term economic recovery will look like for the state. Twenty five faith, environmental, labor and social justice organizations have endorsed the recommendations, which were crafted based on input from more than twenty partners. The report emphasized that to achieve a just and green recovery, NJ decision-makers must adhere to the following 10 principles: 1) Expand Resources for Public Health 2) Protect Workers and Our Environment 3) Fully Fund and Electrify Our Transit System 4) Build Up Renewables 5) Buy American 6) Develop a Green Workforce 7) Renew Green and Efficient Buildings 8) Restore Healthy Homes 9) Repair Our Infrastructure 10) Invest Money in the Public Good Read the press release here.

By WEC Staff|2020-06-26T15:24:11-04:00June 26th, 2020|WEC in the News|Comments Off

Recovery for All: Jersey Renews Releases Roadmap for a Just, Green Recovery to Guide Planning

Report Centers Recommendations in Ten Areas, Focused on Environment, Workers and Equity Trenton — Jersey Renews, a diverse coalition working toward state-based policy solutions to address climate change, has laid out 10 core principles that must be the foundation for any just, green economic recovery. The report, A Roadmap Toward a Just, Green Recovery, was released and distributed to the co-chairs of Governor Murphy’s Restart and Recovery Advisory Council, which has been tasked with drafting recommendations on what a long-term economic recovery will look like for the state. Twenty five faith, environmental, labor and social justice organizations have endorsed the recommendations, which were crafted based on input from more than twenty partners. Read the full article here.

By WEC Staff|2021-03-10T14:21:03-05:00June 25th, 2020|WEC in the News|Comments Off

“Big Win for Offshore Wind,” Says Jersey Renews as Murphy Administration Announces Development of New Jersey Wind Port

Trenton – Today, Governor Murphy announced the development of the New Jersey Wind Port, the first port in the country to be built specifically for offshore wind marshalling and manufacturing. The port will be sited in the Lower Alloway Creek area in Salem County on Artificial Island next to the Hope Creek Nuclear Generation site. The project is a significant step to bring an offshore wind supply chain to New Jersey and put our state on a path to a clean energy future. Jersey Renews, a multi-sector coalition of more than 60 labor, environmental, faith and social justice organizations, has advocated for an offshore wind port as an opportunity for New Jersey to reduce statewide emissions and transition to renewable energy sources while creating high-paying, union manufacturing jobs. Read the full article here.

By WEC Staff|2021-03-10T14:15:28-05:00June 16th, 2020|WEC in the News|Comments Off

Work Environment Council of New Jersey Releases Guidelines for “A Safe and Just Return to Work”

Los Angeles - “My co-workers are getting sick and we know this disease can be fatal,” said Sofia, a pseudonym for a worker at a Case Farms poultry plant. “We want to do our jobs and help feed people during this crisis. But we need to know our employer is listening to us and doing everything possible to make our workplace safe. Right now, that is not happening.” To ensure safety for Sofia – and millions of others who are still working or will return to work in the coming weeks and months – the Work Environment Council of NJ (WEC) and its national association, the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health (National COSH), jointly released a new report today: “A Safe and Just Return to Work.” The United States is far from being ready to open for business without putting not only workers but entire communities at grave risk of illness and death. The document, with comprehensive guidelines for workplace safety, worker participation and fair compensation for sick, injured and at-risk workers, was prepared by experts convened by National COSH. Writers and contributors include certified industrial hygienists, academicians, attorneys, physicians and leaders of non-governmental and nonprofit organizations. “In [...]

By WEC Staff|2020-05-14T17:28:23-04:00May 14th, 2020|Highlights, Press Releases, WEC in the News|Comments Off

Education Association demands immediate removal of toxic floors

NORTH PLAINFIELD-- The North Plainfield Education Association (NPEA) plans to turn out in force this Wednesday, May 13, at the District’s virtual mercury town hall meeting to urge the Board of Education to take immediate action. Since 2018, the NPEA has been fighting for the removal of mercury-laden gym floors in two district schools. With the help of industrial hygienists from the Work Environment Council (WEC) and the New Jersey Education Association’s (NJEA) Healthy Schools Now network, the NPEA discovered the middle school gym floor had mercury levels high enough to require removal as hazardous waste. Read more here.

By WEC Staff|2020-05-13T12:07:37-04:00May 13th, 2020|Highlights, WEC in the News|Comments Off

COVID-19: New Jersey’s education system is imperiled by the pandemic. Here’s how

According to a recent Gallup poll, 42% of parents worry about the impact COVID-19 will have on their children’s education. Despite the fact that New Jersey school districts are adapting and educators have gone above and beyond, altering lesson plans and creating virtual classrooms overnight, students have encountered difficulties learning in this current climate. In response, New Jersey lawmakers have developed a task force to follow the impact of education from COVID-19. There are a number of issues this pandemic has brought to the forefront that the task force should address to ensure all students are receiving an equitable education. New Jersey school districts first faced the challenge of providing computers to students in order to access online learning. While wealthier districts were able to fulfill this request, low- and moderate-income districts have struggled to supply this resource, further contributing to inequity in the classroom which already exists. Even once supplied, parents who lack computer knowledge have struggled to assist their children as they navigate new online learning programs. This, coupled with internet access and internet stability, has made distance learning a virtual nightmare for many families putting at-risk students at an even greater disadvantage. Read the full Opinion-Editorial in northjersey.com from Heather Sorge, HSN Campain Manager, WEC [...]

By WEC Staff|2020-05-07T13:34:31-04:00May 7th, 2020|Highlights, Opinion Pieces, WEC in the News|Comments Off