10,000 Rally in Trenton to Support Collective Bargaining

10,000 New Jerseyans jammed Trenton in the pouring rain in an outburst of support for the rights of all people to collectively bargain on Friday. 

Turnout vastly exceeded expectations of rally planners.  In the days before the rally, it seemed to take on a life of its own, as the news of the movement started in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana to protect workers caught fire in New Jersey. 

Workers who attended the rally were excited to be fighting back in the nation-wide movement that has sprung up to defend the rights of workers.  "I believe that we need to stick together right now.  This thing in Wisconsin is only going to stockpile," said Calvin Harrington, a CWA member who attended the rally.  "Sooner or later we're going to be put on a chopping block."

In Wisconsin, newly-elected Governor Scott Walker has introduced a budget that blames public workers for the fiscal problems there, even though Walker cut $120 million in taxes for the wealthy earlier this year.  His proposal would stip public workers of the right to bargain collectively and it has several other provisions designed to destroy public sector unions.  In response, Union members, students, and supporters have occupied the state capitol building there for the past fourteen days, and the Wisconsin State Senate Democrats have left the state to prevent a quorum, meaning Walker's proposals cannot come up for a vote.  Crowds at the state capitol have numbered as high as 100,000, and it has inspired other massive demonstrations around the country of middle class workers sticking up for their rights.

In New Jersey, Chris Christie has done the same thing.  He has a proposal to legislate health benefits for all public workers, in an effort to eliminate bargaining over health care.  He has many other proposals that would make bargaining meaningless, and he is attempting a fire sale of public resources to privatize anything that isn't nailed to the ground.  His budget proposal, released last week, pits working people against each other by promising to reinstate property tax rebates to seniors and other middle class workers if the state legislature takes away bargaining over health care and imposes his health care plan on public workers.

"I'm a very proud union member and I want to see Christie's proposals put to a stop," said Jolitha Joanem, a CWA member, on why she braved the rain and wet conditions.

"It's not putting people against people it's putting people together," said Alisa Robinson, another CWA member who attended the rally.  "The problems really didn't start with us, it starts with Wall Street."

Bob Braxton, a truck driver and CWA member, said he came to the rally to stick up for his brothers and sisters in Wisconsin and "to stop all the bullying in the state of Wisconsin and New Jersey."  Asked about Christie's budget gimmicks, Braxton said, "I think it's ludicrous.  It's just another way to hurt middle class people."

Christie's budget gives huge tax cuts to the wealthy and to CEOs, as he slashes vital programs.  Barbara Shalit, a CWA member who teaches braile to blind children, talked about Christie's plan to cut a third of money used to teach blind children in New Jersey.  "It makes me feel exceedingly angry," she said.  "I think it's just a nasty tactic and I think a lot of people know better than that and they know it's a nasty tactic," she added.

Rallies similar to the one in New Jersey have sprung up in all fifty states, as working people, tired of a one-sided political debate in which CEOs and Wall Street financiers always seem to come out on top.  The grassroots movement seems to be growing, and more and more workers are expressing a desire to get involved.  CWA will need all hands on deck this month if we are to beat the Christie budget, his attacks on bargaining, and force him to the table.  Check back often for more updates on how you can get involved.