As a strong advocate for organized labor, I recognize the myriad benefits of employee unionization, as well as the continued challenges unions face in maintaining and growing their membership.  This bill promotes labor stability in the public sector by ensuring that employee organizations that are the exclusive representatives of public employees in collective negotiations are able to carry out their statutory duties by having access to, and being able to communicate with, the employees they represent.

I am concerned, however, that certain of the provisions of New Jersey law enacted today may be determined to conflict in some manner with the legal parameters anticipated to be set forth in the forthcoming ruling of the Supreme Court of the United States in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31 .  In the event that appropriate clarifying amendments are necessary following the Supreme Court’s decision, I will work closely with the sponsors to enact any required changes.  I am also sensitive to the privacy concerns of our public employees and recognize the need to prevent the improper use of personal identifying information collected under the terms of this act.  As a result, I am directing State agencies, when implementing this act, to develop sufficient procedures to protect sensitive personal employee information and to restrict its use solely to achieve the act’s purposes.’