nj call center bill passes nj state assembly - cwa news release

Communications Workers Of America AFL-CIO L oca l 1 02 2 …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. For Immediate Release: June 20, 2013 Contact: Seth Hahn, (732) 306‐7729 CWA Hails Passage of Save New Jersey Call Center Jobs Act by State Assembly Launches Advertising Blitz to Persuade Governor Christie to Bar Companies that Ship NJ Jobs Overseas from Receiving State Tax Breaks TRENTON – The Communications Workers of America hailed today the passage of the Save New Jersey Call Center Jobs Act (A3775, sponsored by Assembly members Connie Wagner, Timothy Eustace, Wayne DeAngelo and Daniel Benson) by the full State Assembly by a vote of 51 to 23. The union also announced a public education campaign about the bill, which would prevent companies that ship New Jersey jobs overseas from receiving tax breaks and subsidies from the State of New Jersey. Having already passed the Senate 22‐11, the bill now heads to Governor Christie for signing. Seth Hahn, New Jersey political and legislative director of the CWA, said, “The idea behind this bill is simple: Companies that receive taxpayer money have a responsibility to create jobs in New Jersey, not ship jobs overseas. Speaker Oliver and the Assembly voted today for simple common sense. New Jersey ranks 44th nationwide in private sector job growth since February 2010, and 47 th in economic growth in that time. New Jersey lost 30,400 call center jobs from 2006‐2011, a staggering 22% of all call center jobs in the state. Governor Christie needs to act. Signing A.3775/S.2188 would help protect the 105,900 NJ call‐center jobs in danger of being shipped overseas. Sharon Adamo, President of CWA Local 1023 added, “We represent 725 call center workers now, but our local had 3,000 workers ten years ago. The people we represent work very hard and it can be very difficult work, all day on the phone and no break between calls. But it’s still a good middle‐class job for people to have and be able to raise their families. We see unemployment and people without jobs in New Jersey and it just doesn’t make sense that companies doing work for the state and receiving money from the state don’t have to create jobs here.” CWA Local 1023 represents 725 Verizon call center workers in Northern New Jersey. 1

nj call center bill passes nj state assembly - cwa news release

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