News Archives
September 24, 2011
Happy 50th Anniversary New Jersey State AFL-CIO
September 25, 2011, marks the 50th anniversary of the merger between the New Jersey American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. We would like to congratulate all of our affiliates on 50 years of making a difference not only for union members, but for all working people and our communities. It gives us great pride to have reached this milestone together and to contribute to a movement which has stood the test of time and continues to bring about tremendous progress.
Looking back at the last 50 years, one can say without exaggeration that the labor movement helped to shape our nation and build the middle class. Unions have consistently raised the standard of living for all workers, brought about the eight-hour workday, and achieved health and safety laws that continue to save lives to this day. Vacation time, overtime, and the weekend are just a few other accomplishments. While many of these achievements came about before our time, the real achievement of the labor movement is that we continue to build on this legacy one generation after another.
New Jersey’s building trades unions worked with researchers to expose the dangers of asbestos, saving lives not only on construction sites, but in our schools and office buildings. The state AFL-CIO worked to pass the first Transportation Trust Fund in the nation, building the infrastructure that fueled almost two decades of economic growth, created jobs and an infrastructure that attracts business and contributes to a positive quality of life.
Unions were also the impetus for passing the Paid Family Leave Act which meant that workers would no longer have to choose between work and family in the case of an ailing loved one or newborn baby. We fought to pass the laws that restrict the outsourcing of jobs to foreign countries and changed our workers’ compensation system to fairly provide for those injured or sickened on the job.
The New Jersey State AFL-CIO 50th Anniversary is a good time to reflect on all we have accomplished together and also to look towards the next 50 years. While much in the world has changed and will continue to change, what it means to be union stays the same. We believe in a worker’s right to a voice and respect at his or her workplace. We believe that a union contract is the great equalizer and equal pay for equal work. We believe in providing an opportunity for upward mobility for all families and seek to provide workers with access to basic necessities such as health care and a secure retirement. We will continue the tradition of what it means to be union and allow our children to look back on the next 50 years with the same pride we feel today.
All of us working together made our progress possible. This is our history and we will continue to make a difference.