newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The battle between police and firefighter unions and the New Jersey Legislature returns to the Statehouse on Thursday.

Union officials say public safety workers want the governor and Legislature to know layoffs, retirements and unfilled positions have made towns and cities less safe for public servants and residents.

Crime is up for the first time in four years, and with 3,200 fewer municipal police officers than a year ago. Critics of Gov. Chris Christie's two percent property tax limit say public safety will continue to suffer because mayors, as of Jan. 1, must budget within that constraint.

In a release, Anthony Weiners, president of the N.J. State PBA, along with state firemen's union president Bill Lavin, said with the pressure to stay beneath the recently enacted two percent cap on property tax increases, public officials resort to layoffs without fully realizing the consequences.

The unions also want to send a loud signal to Christie and Senate President Stephen Sweeney that they oppose proposals to significantly increase the amount public employees pay for health care.

An Associated Press report on philly.com says Barbara Keshishian, president of the public teachers union most often vilified by Christie, is among the scheduled speakers, according to New Jersey Education Association spokesman Steve Baker.

Only workers who are off-duty or retired are being encouraged to attend; no sick-outs or work slowdowns are planned.

Christie has proposed changing the health care system for current workers that would make plans less generous and more costly. Christie's plan would have workers contributing 30 percent of the cost of their premium, far more than the 1.5 percent of salary they do now. Sweeney has proposed employee contributions of 12 to 30 percent based on income.

The unions say they were tapped for a contribution of 1.5 percent of salary for health care just last year.

A protest held last week drew more than 3,000 represented public sector workers, despite poor weather. It was held in support of Wisconsin labor members, who are facing the loss of their collective bargaining power.

The Daily Record reports that Thursday's event — scheduled for 11:00 AM and dubbed the Rally to Take A Stand for Public Safety — stands to draw more people, said Dominick Marino, president of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey. He said people from all over the state are coming.

Marino said his union represents about half of the more than 6,000 paid fire and rescue workers in the state, with others belonging to the New Jersey Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association.

Politickernj.com reports that union members in Newark say the layoffs have caused a crime spike in the city, claiming that between Dec. 4 and Jan. 30 murders are up 50 percent, shootings 66 percent and carjackings 400 percent over the same period last year.