On June 25 in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie’s lawyers defended his $2.5 billion cuts to payments into state worker’s pensions — a theft, as he claims, to “balance the budget.”
“We don’t have any more candy to give out,” said Christie to thousands of state workers including teachers, firefighters, librarians and other state workers.
“Is it candy? No,” responds Karla Drumm, a library worker at the busy Bunnvale Library in Lebanon Township, NJ. “But he [Christie] does give it to his big business cronies,” Drumm continued.
The State of New Jersey owes $38 billion dollars to state worker pension funds.
The Communication Workers of America, Service Employees International Union, American Federation of Teachers, Firefighters and other unions have joined together representing thousands of workers and their families to sue Gov. Christie for the unpaid pension payments. June 25 was the first appearance of Christie’s lawyers in court.
These labor organizations state that Gov. Christie illegally cut contributions to the state pension system. A 2010 law mandates the governor to make payments, but a government that manages the interests of the rich feels it can ignore making payments—at the detriment of state workers.
“Tolls have doubled while salaries have been cut as well as benefits and pensions,” explains Max-Evan Aguayo, a toll worker with the New Jersey Turnpike.
“One voice doesn’t make a difference,” explains Drumm. “But it starts with one person…”
“We can unite to make a difference! We must unite in solidarity—everyone who is afraid of losing their jobs,” concluded Aguayo.
