WHY SHOULD UNION MEMBERS OPPOSE THE PATH TO PROGRESS?

CWA LOCAL 1014 - STAND UP! FIGHT BACK!

For several months NJ Senate President Steve Sweeney has been pushing a plan he calls the Path to Progress as a way to solve NJ's financial issues.  This plan should be called the Path to Poverty because is disproportionately places this burden on hardworking public sector workers.  In recent weeks Sweeney has introduced 27 bills in the NJ Legislature to implement this plan.  These bills, if enacted, would have devastating effects on the members of CWA 1014.  It is time to stand up and fight back!

WHY SHOULD YOU OPPOSE THE PATH TO PROGRESS?

Two of the proposed bills will directly effect the pensions and healthcare benefits of CWA 1014 members.  

PENSION:

• Hybrid pensions plan for workers with less than 5 years of service. 
• Retirement age increased to 67.
• Those in the hybrid pension plan would only have their pensions funded up to $40,000. Anything over this $40,000 cap would go into a 401K plan with NO employer contribution.
• This would result in less money going into the pension plan thereby weakening the pension plan for those with over 5 years of service
• EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE ENTIRE PENSION PLAN HAVING TO BE LIQUIDATED!

HEALTHCARE:

• Sweeney proposes a law that says that NO PUBLIC EMPLOYER can pay more than 80% of the total cost of healthcare. 
• Employees will be responsible for 20% of their healthcare costs.
• If this is made a law, you will no longer be able to bargain for anything less than an employee share of 20%.
• This will RAISE worker out of pocket family costs for healthcare by enormous amounts in ADDITION TO WHAT WORKERS ARE ALREADY PAYING IN PREMIUMS!

WHY THE MILLIONAIRES TAX MATTERS:

• A millionaire’s tax will STABILIZE our State’s finances.  Sweeney and Christie cut BILLIONS of dollars in taxes on millionaires, billionaires and corporations.  
• With a stable budget, we can continue to fund the pension, and we can fully fund education, increase transportation costs, and provide hundreds of millions of dollars in property tax relief.  
• Sweeney’s STATED goal of the Path to Progress is to cut your benefits so that they don’t have to raise taxes on a small group of millionaires who have had their taxes reduces by BILLIONS of dollars in New Jersey and by the Federal Government.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

• Call your state senator and two state assemblypersons.  Dial 855-620-8460 and follow the step by step instructions.  Note: you must call 3 times.
• Make your voice heard in Trenton on Thursday, June 13, 2019.  Join CWA at a Budget Rally at noon.  Contact CWA Local 1014 at 856-541-4191 to tell them you’re going!