Job Title Review Results in Union Representation for 500 N.J. State Workers

Thanks to the efforts of six CWA locals, more than 500 New Jersey state employees gained CWA representation on Sept. 1. after years of being considered management or confidential employees – and union ineligible.

The workers are employed in 57 job titles across state government. Many had sought a union but had lost their eligibility when the state changed their job titles. CWA was able to get the state to review the workers' job titles thanks to a side agreement which the union has negotiated with the state's Office of Employee Relations.

Pay equity was a major issue for the workers because there was a salary cap on project managers and workers in other job titles that prevented them from keeping pace with supervisors who were already represented by CWA.

The workers' successful title review could enable several hundred additional employees in the state's colleges to also be union eligible.

Assisting the workers were Local 1032 Representative Dudley Burdge, Adam Liebtag of Local 1034, Executive Vice President Don Klein and Connie English of Local 1040, Rose Silva of Local 1039, John Polk of Local 1031 and Ken McNamara of Local 1037.