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Trenton rally is to show support for Wisconsin public employees and to send Christie a message

BY TOM HESTER SR.

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The New Jersey State AFL-CIO on Friday will attempt to bring to Trenton the kind of attention Wisconsin's unionized public workers have been receiving when it holds a noon rally in support of New Jersey public workers at the Statehouse.

New Jersey AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech foresees "hundreds of labor and community partners" turning out but unionized public employees can be expected to swell the number of demonstrators.

The rally will feature an appearance by some of the Wisconsin workers and National AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

"At the rally, we will stand shoulder to shoulder in solidarity and speak out against the attacks on working families and assaults on collective bargaining rights with are taking place in Wisconsin and other states around the country," Wowkanech said Sunday. "We will also send a message to Governor Christie that he bargain in good faith and not balance the budget on the backs of middle class families.

Christie on Friday came out in support of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker who is attempting to bust most of state's public employee unions. The effort has garnered national attention as thousands of demonstrators protest both inside and outside the Statehouse in Madison and Democratic legislators have left the state to prevent a quorum that would lead to votes on Walker's proposals.

"Gov. Walker was elected by the people of Wisconsin," Christie said. "I know him and I trust him and I support him."

Both Christie and Walker are Republicans. In the autumn, Christie campaigned with Walker throughout Wisconsin.

"I support Gov. Walker's strong action to balance his budget," Christie said. "I'm not going to micromanage Wisconsin from New Jersey." Walker is confronting a budget deficit of over $3 billion.

Christie is preparing to unveil his proposed 2011-12 state budget Tuesday and he is expected to again call for concessions from public employees to help cover a deficit of as much as $10 billion. The governor has been calling, in part, for them to contribute to their health care costs.

Christie also wants the 100,000-member New Jersey Education Association, the statewide teachers' union, to agree to giving educators seniority on their ability and not time on the job. The test scores of their students would be a factor when their ability would be reviewed.