Political, Environmental, Labor Groups to Headline Newark Green New Deal Town Hall at 32BJ SEIU

Over 100 community members will gather to hear from labor leaders, environmental advocates and elected officials about why New Jersey needs a Green New Deal

What: The Green New Deal Town Hall featuring presentations and panel discussion

When: Saturday, May 18^th, 2:00pm-4:00pm

Where:

32BJ SEIU NJ District Office:

494 Broad St.

3^rd Fl.

Newark, NJ 07102

Who: Organizers, activist and leadership from 32BJ SEIU, BlueWaveNJ, the New Jersey Sierra Club, Labor Network for Sustainability

Newark, N.J.—  New Jersey grassroots organizations Sunrise Movement of NJ, New Jersey Sierra Club, BlueWaveNJ, and Labor Network for Sustainability will join to present a town hall on the Green New Deal this Saturday, May 18, at 32BJ’s New Jersey district office. 32BJ, the country’s largest property service union, was one of the first unions in the country to vocally support the Green New Deal. This town hall is one of more than 250 happening nationwide for the Road to the Green New Deal Tour that launched in Boston on April 18. Additional town halls will take place across the nation.

“We’re holding this town hall to show that New Jerseyans are serious in their support for the Green New Deal,” said Kevin Brown, 32BJ SEIU Vice President and New Jersey State Director. “A bold solution is necessary and urgent for New Jersey, the third-fastest warming state in the nation. We commend Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Bill Pascrell, and Senator Cory Booker for signing onto the bill. The rest of the legislature should join them in signing on for a cleaner New Jersey that has a safer future. The labor and climate justice movements are closely connected, and collaboration between the two is an important step towards addressing inequities that New Jersey’s working people face as a result of climate change. We are proud to help educate the public on the why the Green New Deal can be a catalyst to creating the good, green jobs that will support workers and the local communities that depend on them.”

 “Climate change is the overriding issue of our time and will remain so indefinitely,” said John Reichman, BlueWaveNJ Environmental Chair. “It presents an existential challenge to our security and way of life. How we answer that challenge will have a profound impact on the lives of our children and all future generations. We need to adopt a Green New Deal right now and get it right.”

“We are in a climate crisis,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club. “Climate change impacts are worse and happening faster. Sea levels are rising and flooding is increasing. Health impacts include rising rates of asthma and Lyme disease. Our state is also battling damaging fossil fuel projects like offshore drilling, natural gas power plants, pipelines, and fracking. Enough is enough already. The Green New Deal resolution is the first comprehensive step towards creating policies and programs in place to reduce our climate impact. New Jersey needs to get away from fossil fuels and move towards 100% renewable energy. This is especially important for environmental justice communities who already see a disproportionate amount of pollution. We need a just transition for jobs and a green economy. We are one people, one environment and one planet. We need to move forward and aggressively because the planet as we know it is at stake.”

“The Labor Network for Sustainability is dedicated to making a living on a living planet,” said Todd Vachon of the Labor Network for Sustainability. “By proposing a rapid, but managed withdrawal from fossil fuels with strong protections for workers, including a just transition, jobs guarantee, and unionization rights, the Green New Deal lays out the kind of vision we need to have both good jobs and a healthy environment, not just one or the other.”

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With more than 175,000 members, including 13,000 in New Jersey, 32BJ is the largest property service union in the country.