WEC in the News

Early this morning, Jersey Renews advocates and Amalgamated Transit Union workers from across the state staged a Day of Action to celebrate Transit Equity Day. Groups convened at transit hubs in North, Central, and South Jersey to bring attention to the need for a dedicated funding source for NJ Transit. Transit Equity Day, held on Rosa Parks’ birthday each year in honor of her infamous refusal to give up her seat, which sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycotts, highlights the need for equitable transportation. An equitable transportation policy includes expanded service and hours, affordable access, and clean transportation. For NJ Transit, this also means dedicated funding for operations and improvements. Read the full press release here.

Trenton, NJ (January 17, 2020) – Today Governor Phil Murphy signed an ambitious omnibus electric vehicle bill (S2252/A4819), which was endorsed with bi-partisan support, as urged on by diverse interests, including business and labor leaders, environmentalists, auto dealers, faith-based and grassroots community organizers and utility companies, among others.  The law incentivizes use of electric vehicles for private use and sets metrics for public fleets to reduce the greatest single source of harmful greenhouse gas emissions and positions New Jersey as a national leader for this clean technology. Read the full press release here.

Trenton, NJ – Closing out the New Jersey Legislative session, the Senate and Assembly passed the landmark electric vehicle bill (S2252/A4819) with a bipartisan vote of 27-12 and 65-9 respectively. The legislation sets aggressive goals for electric vehicle sales, provides a rebate for the purchase of an electric vehicle of up to $5,000 by allocating $30 million annually over the next decade, and a state-wide network of high-speed EV charging stations. The bill also sets goals for the electrification of NJ Transit’s bus fleet by incrementally increasing EV bus purchases to 100% through 2032. Read the full press release here.

Trenton, NJ – Today marks another step on a slow-build to an historic policy shift to tackle the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey – the transportation sector. Building on action this week at the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste and Assembly Appropriations Committees and previously at the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, today the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee vetted and released for floor vote the newest iteration of legislation (S2252/A4819) to incentivize widespread adoption of electric vehicles in New Jersey. This paves the way for consideration by both full legislative chambers on Monday January 13th. Read the full press release here.

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Andy Kim (NJ-03) voted to pass bipartisan legislation that would protect health care and social service workers from workplace violence, which has increased by 69 percent over the past decade according to the Bureau for Labor Statistics. “Our health care and social service workers do amazing work every day, but too often at great risk,” said Congressman Kim. “Every worker deserves a safe workplace, and this bipartisan bill will take a big step in ensuring that the professionals taking care of people in Burlington and Ocean Counties are taken care of themselves.” The Workplace Violence for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act, H.R. 1309, would provide protection for workers by requiring that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issue an enforceable federal standard that would require employers to develop workplace violence prevention programs that would save lives. "As a union of healthcare and social service professionals, we applaud Congressional leaders for moving forward legislation to create enforceable standards to finally make workplace safety a priority,” said Debbie White, RN and President of the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, AFT/AFL-CIO. “No longer can we accept that violence is “just part of the job.” Workplace violence is [...]