Sharpton urged N.J. to push back against campaign to weaken unions
The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks at the Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton today, at the beginning of a panel discussion called "Fighting Attacks on the Working Family."TRENTON — The Rev. Al Sharpton stepped into New Jersey’s budget battle today, joining a chorus of union leaders criticizing Gov. Chris Christie’s economic policies and urging New Jerseyans to push back against a nationwide campaign to weaken organized labor.
At rallies in Newark, Trenton and Vineland, Sharpton said the state would be violating its workers’ civil rights if it reneges on its pension commitments. He also chastised Christie for feuding with teachers, and warned that governors across the country are on a mission to balance their budgets at the expense of the working class.
"We can cut back people’s pensions. We can lay off workers. We can close hospitals, schools, psychiatric centers. We can deal with changing tenure for teachers — but don’t touch the rich," Sharpton said at Shiloh Baptist Church in Trenton. "They have become the sacred cow that can’t be touched ... while workers become the slaughtered lamb."
Two national union leaders joined Sharpton onstage and blamed Wall Street’s recklessness for the budget deficits afflicting Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, New Jersey and other states where governors have squared off with unions.
"That’s what this coordinated attack is. It’s saying to workers, ‘I know you didn’t create the problem, but you solve it,’" said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers. "That’s what we’re fighting."
Lee Saunders, secretary-treasurer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said New Jersey should reinstate a "millionaires tax" on its top earners and accused Christie of playing politics with economic issues.
"You cannot cut yourself out of this problem. You’ve got to have the wealthy pay their fair share," Saunders said. "Why take away a tax that people can afford to pay?"
The "millionaires tax" expired last year and Christie vetoed a bill to renew it, saying it would damage the economy and that New Jersey taxes are too high as it is.
The governor’s office declined to comment on today’s rallies.
Christie has called for an overhaul of the state’s pension and health benefits system for public workers but has yet to hammer out a deal with the Democrats in control of the Legislature. The two sides have until June 30 to settle on a budget deal for the coming fiscal year.
In recent weeks, that debate has been a bitter back-and-forth, with the governor accusing the Legislature of inaction at his town hall events while Democrats fight back in their budget hearings. At the Trenton rally today, two Assembly Democrats said Christie was bullying the working class to burnish his conservative credentials.
At the rally in Newark, Sharpton urged 150 anti-violence activists, clergy and workers to unite against the governor’s efforts to undermine organized labor and implement damaging economic policies.
"We have fought governors before and we will stand up to this one," he said.
Unions have staged several rallies in Trenton this year echoing Sharpton’s message, including one headlined by the AFL-CIO national president in February that drew more than 3,000 people.
John Williams, 62, of Grovesville, was at the noon rally at Shiloh Baptist Church after working his shift until 7 a.m. at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.
"This is how serious it is to me," he said. "I love my job, but why am I doing all this overtime? Why not hire more people?"
Staff writer Tomas Dinges contributed to this report.
Previous coverage:
• Hundreds rally against Vineland Developmental Center closure with the Rev. Al Sharpton
• Rev. Al Sharpton participates in rally to confront Newark violence