TRENTON – Bob Marley would have been proud.

They were literally playing his song as the working members of 1199SEIU turned the corner and made their way into the courtyard of the Statehouse Annex to demand passage of S1612/A382, which would require one to eight caregiver to patient ratios in this state.

“This is an historic event,” said organizer Ron McCalla, when he mobilized the troops in the War Memorial and led the march to State Street, where Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), appeared at a podium above the crowd, gave them the thumbs up, and said the Legislature would pass the workers’ bill.

“This is personal for me,” said Sweeney. “Along with Senator [Vin] Gopal and others we’ll move this bill and get it to the Governor’s desk.”

Sweeney and Murphy are hitting heads over the budget – millionaire’s tax versus corporate tax – and the Governor’s appointments – but with labor love in the air, the ironworker lawmaker told InsiderNJ he’s not being politically divisive for the sake of political revenge.

“We have every intention of moving the governor’s cabinet,” Sweeney said. “He deserves to have his cabinet.”

Still, he looked in control.

“I’m doing great,” he beamed.

The workers already had a grove on when they crossed the base line, and now with Sweeney up there they went haywire.

They figured it was about time.

“Time is up,” Sweeney said, and that triggered a chant, “Time is up! Time is up! Time is up!”

New Jersey nursing homes rank among the worst in the nation (45^th overall) for the staffing levels of certified nursing assistants (CNAs), according to data from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CNAs are the primary direct care workforce in nursing homes and are responsible for assisting patients will all their activities of daily living—feeding, dressing, bathing, etc.

Without sufficient frontline staff, caregivers say that patients are put at risk and workers are unable to provide the type of physical and emotional support their patients need every day.

NJ nursing homes are largely for-profit and the industry receives most of its revenue from Medicaid and Medicare.  Advocates say that nursing homes must use this taxpayer money appropriately by investing it towards improving frontline care.

So they want the legislature to pass bill S1612/A382 which would establish minimum CNA-to-patient ratios in NJ nursing homes.  The ratios are: no more than 8 patients per CNA on the day shift, 10 patients per CNA on the afternoon shift, and 16 patients per CNA overnight.  An identical bill was passed by the legislature two years ago, but vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie in January 2016.

Done, said Sweeney, his frequent alliance with the former Republican forgotten in this crowd as thunderous boos inundated the courtyard at the mention of Christie’s name.

Sponsoring the bill with bill-bullish state Senator Brian P/ Stack (D-33) – long an advocate for the legislation – Gopal also addressed the crowd.

“We know you’re on the frontlines, that these people are like your family members,” said the Senator.

The view from the Statehouse Annex: