CWA Local 1034


NJ State Budget Campaign
	Please help us by sharing your stories of how the budget cuts, hiring freeze, promotional freeze are affecting your office and services to the public.

	Save the Parks Rally at the State House April 23 at 12:15pm <download a flyer for office distribution> The budget proposed for next year cuts 12 state parks, including completeclosure of 9 parks. Camping, swimming, historic interpretive services, and otherattractions are slashed from the budget. Workers are these parks have been targeted for layoff. If you enjoy the outdoors, fish, camp, swim, hike, ski, or bike, these cuts affect you and your children. We need to tell the Governor to restore these cuts and keep these parks open. Cutting parks does not solve the budget crisis! *Show your State Leaders you care, wear your outdoor gear and yourLocal 1034 t-shirts. Families welcome!*

	President Katz testimony to Assembly Appropriations Committee - Public Hearing (3/26/08)

	Campaign to Save the Department of Agriculture CWA 1034 and other groups mobilized at the State House for a "Save Ag" rally on April 1. ...Eliminating the Department of Agriculture (NJDA) does not make sense and Governor Corzine should reverse course. Destroying the Agriculture department will endanger an industry which contributes several billion dollars a year to our state’s economy, only to save a few hundred thousand dollars. Moreover, eliminating middle-class state worker positions does nothing to stimulate NJ's economy...(more)

	Message from President Carla Katz - (2/26/08) "The Nightmare on State Street" ...Slashing thousands of jobs of middle class workers, who had nothing to do with getting the state in this fiscal fix, is grossly unfair. More to the point, it doesn't save money, it doesn't attack patronage and it ultimately hurts all families in New Jersey. My local union, representing thousands of public workers, vehemently opposes these cuts and we intend to vigorously fight against them... (more)

	Press Release on Parks Closures Local 1034 reaction to announcement of parks closures

Paid Family Leave Insurance approved by Legislature - on to the Governor
Both the Senate and Assembly have voted to approve paid family leave insurance in New Jersey. The bill is now on the Governor's desk for signature. Governor Corzine has publicly stated his support for this bill. Thank you to everyone who worked on the bill. Thank you to Sen. Richard Codey, Senate President, for posting this bill for a vote, and thank you to the sponsors in the Senate and Assembly for their consistent support for paid family leave. Finally, thank you to all who voted in favor of the bill. To learn more about Paid Family Leave, click here.

Update on State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) changes for State and Local Gov't
Changes to the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP) took effect on April 1, 2008. New insurance cards have been issued to all enrollees in the NJDirect 10 and 15 plans, Aetna HMO, and Cigna HMO. Read more information about plans changes.

Local 1034 supports Michelle Ferrell Benefit Fund
Local 1034 is co-sponsoring a fund raising event for the Michelle Ferrell Benefit Fund on May 1, 2008 at DADZ Bar & Grill in Burlington County. Please support this cause by purchasing a ticket. (flyer) With great sadness, Local 1034 has established a benefit fund for the family of Michele Ferrell, a 20+-year shop steward from Burlington County. Michele and her 14-year old son died tragically in a fire. Michelle is survived by two sons, two daughters, and her husband. Michelle's family, the members of the Burlington County Clerk's office and the membership of CWA Local 1034 thank all of you who have reached out with your care and concern. Donations may be made to "The Children of Michelle Ferrell Benefit Fund" at any Commerce Bank location or directly to: The Children of Michelle Ferrell Benefit Fund Commerce Bank Attention Melinda 510 High Street Mount Holly, NJ 08060

Message from President Carla Katz - About the Governor's Proposed Budget and Job Cuts
Link to Governor's Speech and Budget in Brief Dear Local 1034 Members: The Governor will give his budget speech tomorrow morning (Tuesday, February 26) and we anticipate it will make $3 billion in cuts and attack state worker jobs. Last Friday, February 22, 2008, CWA, AFSCME and IPTE locals were briefed on the proposed budget by the Governor’s staff. The Governor’s office informed us that they intended to make significant cuts to the state budget in charity care, property tax rebates, municipal aid and in an overall reduction of the state worker workforce. *1) CWA Local 1034 vehemently opposes these cuts.* Scapegoating public workers and hurting middle class state workers is no solution to the state’s fiscal problems. Additionally, these job cuts will be devastating to the critical services that our members provide to the public which the public values. *2) Cutting the ‘hidden government’ is where savings should occur.* Currently, the state has 8,000 employees on the TES (temporary employee services) list performing our work, costing more than $100 million dollars. Additionally, thousands of political appointees remain on the books and private consultants and subcontractors continue to perform bargaining unit work at much higher costs. These workers are hidden from the published ‘head count’. Every Governor has boasted of ‘reducing the state workforce’ by eliminating our jobs and then hiring private consultants and TES to do the work under the radar. *3) Early Retirement without backfilling hurts the entire workforce.* Early retirement has historically been a last resort alternative preferable to layoffs. However, on the heels of a severe two-year hiring freeze, an early retirement program without backfilling of jobs will cut services across all departments and will continue to exacerbate the burden on the remaining workforce. The Governor’s office has not yet worked with our union to pursue alternatives to layoffs. Additionally, there are serious questions as to the ‘cost’ of an ERI to the liabilities of the pension system. The Governor’s Proposed “Workforce Reduction” Cuts Specifically, the Governor, in his speech, will propose a ‘workforce reduction’ of 5,000 state employees including 1,890 workers who have left state government and have not been replaced due to the two-year hiring freeze; 500-1,000 layoffs; and an anticipated 3,000 workers who would take a proposed early retirement. Specifics Elimination of certain agencies Elimination of the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce and Personnel. The Governor’s office indicated they intended to move the ‘functions’ and therefore most of the jobs, of those agencies and said that these agencies were not targeted for layoffs. Layoffs of 500-1,000 The state refused to give us specific agency by agency figures but indicated that parks may be closed, motor vehicle offices may have shortened hours, Law and Public Safety (LPS) clerical staff would be targeted and some positions in DMVA and the Parole Board would be cut Early Retirement Proposal They intend to offer a targeted and limited ERI to three different employee populations: - 50 years old and older w/ 25 years of service Add 3 years of service No waiver of the 3% annual penalty for those under 55 - 60 years old and older w/ 20-24 years of service Treated as having 25 years of service for the purpose of post-retirement health benefits only (not seniority) - 60 years old w/ between 10 and 20 years of service Additional $500 month added to their pension Backfill Cap Any ERI proposal would severely limit the number of positions and people who are hired to backfill lost positions Governor’s office anticipates 7,500 to 8,000 state workers would be eligible for the proposed ERI and that 45% would be likely to take it Projected “Savings” The Gov’s Office, anticipates that their “workforce reduction” will save $120 million in this year’s budget and cost $500 million in enhanced pension costs. 1034 FIGHTS BACK! As always, the budget process is fluid and we anticipate that there will be many changes to the details of that budget. As we get more information we will share it with our members and our stewards. However, we need to mobilize our forces now to fight this bad budget proposal. Attend Meetings. The Local will be holding shop steward and membership mobilization meetings over the next few weeks to discuss a plan of action. Check the website/Give us your contact information. Please check the Local’s website www.cwa1034.org for updates and provide us with your email address by completing the "e-news signup" form to the left or by emailing us at information@cwa1034.org and telephone numbers so that you can receive email information. Stay in touch. Please keep your shop stewards and your staff appraised of all factual information that you are hearing. You can find your legislator here. (http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp)

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Latest News
3.1.2008 Michele Ferrell Benefit Fund. General Membership Meetings February 7, 2008 @ 5:30pm Monmouth County Library, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan NJ click here for directions April 3, 2008 @ 5pm Hunterdon County Bldg., Route 12 Freeholder's Assembly Rm Flemington NJ *NJ State Worker Contract* A/C books have been printed and will be distributed as soon as possible. Read the new contract online <more> Read the new salary schedules <more> Read the Tentative Agreement online (all are in Adobe PDF format) 11.07 Burlington County (Main Unit) contract ratified and posted online.