Primary Source News: Unions protest legislation in New Jersey

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Unions protest legislation in New Jersey

Unions in Trenton, New Jersey are protesting legislation that would require government workers to increase their contributions to pensions effectively limiting collective bargaining.

Chris Shelton, vice-president of the Communications Workers of America District 1 compared New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to Adolf Hitler in a speech attacking the governor for trying to legislate, rather than negotiate, collective bargaining.

Democratic leadership in the New Jersey Legislature has reached a compromise with Christie on the controversial proposal. Democratic Senate President Steve Sweeney said that the legislation will still allow collective bargaining, within the confines of the financial limitations set by the proposed legislation. "We had in this legislation before the sunset a local option, which allows you to bargain and negotiate as long as you came up with the savings that this health care proposal came up with," he said.

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