CWA Statement on State of NJ Budget

Public Sector Unions Deliver Clear Message to Governor Murphy: You Have Betrayed Working People

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Unions Representing 140,000 Workers and Retirees Slam Governor’s Backroom Budget Deal That Cuts $100 Million from Worker Healthcare

TRENTON, NJ – A coalition of public sector unions, including the Communications Workers of America (CWA) District 1, AFSCME New Jersey, AFT New Jersey, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, the Council of NJ State College Locals (CNJSCL), Union of Rutgers Administrators-American Federation of Teachers (URA-AFT), Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union, Health Professionals & Allied Employees (HPAE), and IFPTE Local 195, NJ State Policemen’s Benevolent Association (NJSPBA)  issued a sharp rebuke of Governor Phil Murphy following today’s vote to pass the FY2026 budget, which breaks binding collective negotiations agreements with public employees and retirees and sides with insurers by imposing a $100 million cut to health benefits.

“This budget is a betrayal of the very working people who elected him into office,” said Billy Gallagher, Assistant to the Vice President, CWA  District 1. “Budgets are moral documents and this one makes painfully clear where Governor Murphy stands. Gov. Murphy has chosen to gut $100 million in health benefits for public sector workers and retirees.”

“What’s worse,” Gallagher continued, “for over a year and as recently as just three days ago, the labor members of the Plan Design Committee pushed for a plan design change that could save up to $1.1 billion in SHBP costs, without hurting workers. But the Administration refused to move it forward because it would have required renegotiating existing contracts with insurance carriers and Pharmacy Benefits Managers. It’s the height of  hypocrisy that Gov. Murphy has no concern about breaking our contract and bypassing collective bargaining with public employees.”

Despite revenue projections now being $700 million higher than prior estimates, the $100 million cut will be imposed on the State Health Benefits Plan (SHBP), bypassing collective bargaining and setting up a new, unilateral process. This will result in higher co-pays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket costs for state employees and their families—at a time when the cost of living is already untenable. Additionally, this arbitrarily imposed cut comes less than two weeks before the expected premium rate report for plan year 2026 with expected increases of over 20% for state workers and as high as 30% for local governments.

Continue reading CWA Statement on State of NJ Budget

2025 CWA Local 1031 Scholarships

CWA Local 1031 is giving fourteen $500 Scholarships and three $500 Dependent Care Grants as a thank you to our members!

Winners will be selected at the August CWA Local 1031 Executive Board meeting to be held on Thursday, August 7, 2025. Awards are determined by luck of the draw, and winners will be contacted by email.

To apply, download and complete the form linked below, and return it to the CWA Local 1031 office by August 6th.

Remember, only members are eligible for these scholarships, but you can still fill out a card to become a member. Not only will you be eligible for the scholarship drawing, but you will also be supporting your coworkers as we fight for better wages, healthcare, and more! We are only able to provide these scholarships because of our members!

Contact the Governor & Reps NOW!

CWA Action Alert When We Fight, We Win!We need to take action NOW.

In the final days of Fiscal Year 2026 budget negotiations for the state, Governor Murphy and the NJ State Legislature are trying to shift $100 million in healthcare costs onto us —breaking our contract and trying to balance the budget on our backs.

This is unacceptable.

Take 3 actions right now to demand that our elected leaders do their jobs and stand with us:

 

CWA Action Alert When We Fight, We Win!We need to take action NOW.

In the final days of Fiscal Year 2026 budget negotiations for the state, Governor Murphy and the NJ State Legislature are trying to shift $100 million in healthcare costs onto us —breaking our contract and trying to balance the budget on our backs.

This is unacceptable.

Take 3 actions right now to demand that our elected leaders do their jobs and stand with us:

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CWAers Throughout New Jersey Say: It’s Time to Put a STOP to Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs!

CWA Local 1031 President, Kathy Hernandez, along with Billy Ghallager VP of D1 and other CWA 1031 officers & members at the healthcare rally

On June 4 thousands of CWA members working in State and Local Government public sector positions braved the soaring heat to turn out for a massive rally at the New Jersey State House Annex in Trenton to deliver a message to state lawmakers: we need action NOW to stop and contain healthcare costs for New Jersey’s public sector workforce!

Since 2022, healthcare premiums for State workers have increased by 40% while local government workers have seen a 59% compounded increase. At the bargaining table, CWA has worked to protect members from the full impact of these increases, but we need legislative action to contain costs for State workers, gain parity for Local Government workers, and make New Jersey more affordable for all.

CWA members were joined by a coalition of other unions including the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, AFSCME NJ, AAUP-AFT, AFT New Jersey, The Council of New Jersey State Colleges, URA-AFT, HPAE, IFPTE, as well as NJ State Assemblymembers Cody Miller and Verlina Reynolds-Jackson at the rally, filling the Annex square and speaking about the growing crisis of affordability for working families in New Jersey

“I have something to say to this state and to this country,” said Billy Gallagher, CWA District 1 Assistant to the Vice President, addressing the massive crowd. “Anyone who thinks unions are going away, take a picture of today, ‘cause we’re not going away! We’re fighting for our rights, and we’re gonna keep fighting!”

Photo of CWA workers rallying in Trenton, NJ

Continue reading CWAers Throughout New Jersey Say: It’s Time to Put a STOP to Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs!