(Piscataway) Piscataway council members Frank Uhrin, Jim Bullard, Michele Lombardi, and council candidate Sharon Carmichael are honored to be endorsed by the Middlesex & Somerset Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. Uhrin, Bullard, Carmichael, and Lombardi are part of the Column B Democratic team who demonstrate their strong commitment to working families daily. “The strong bonds we have forged within our town, based on inclusion, diversity and shared values sustain us. We understand that teamwork and unity strengthen community and improve lives. Our team is honored with this endorsement,” said Ward 3 council candidate and community leader Sharon Carmichael.

“Piscataway voters have the opportunity to elect candidates to the Piscataway Township Council who have a proven track record in support of working families and our unions. Frank Uhrin, Jim Bullard, Sharon Carmichael, and Michele Lombardi are the union choice, endorsed by the Middlesex & Somerset Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO,” stated Central Labor Council President Wayne Martiak. “These candidates for Piscataway Township Council are strong supporters of working people. They support prevailing wage laws and Project Labor Agreements and oppose the privatization and outsourcing of public sector work. While in office, they’ve also been good stewards of our tax dollars, ensuring that Piscataway has an AA+ stable bond rating and top credit score. Nevertheless, they still provided strong public services and opened the brand-new union-built Community Center, upgraded all 26 municipal parks and will open the new Ecological Park in the near future.”

“This endorsement affirms our excellent partnership with unionized public workers. It’s the consensus among our union leaders and members that the collective bargaining process in town is fair. Good wages, safe working conditions and excellent benefits are a staple,” said Council Vice-President Frank Uhrin. “We have invested in the latest equipment and training. Sparing no expense to protect workers has yielded real results,” Uhrin continued. In the Central Jersey Joint Insurance Fund (JIF) Piscataway was .31 in lost time accident frequency last year with the sector average being 1.44 making Piscataway not only one of the lowest in the sector but one of the lowest in the state.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique challenges to municipalities across the country causing dire issues. “Here in Piscataway not a single township employee was laid off or furloughed. We were one of the only towns in Central Jersey to continue all services, with enhanced safety measures, even adding additional emergency services. We were able to act quickly to procure N95 masks in March 2020 for all municipal employees, school system employees, healthcare workers in our rehabilitation centers and nursing care facility,” explained Council President Lombardi.

The largest public project in the towns recent history is the brand new $35 million dollar community center. Built entirely with union labor it is Piscataway Township’s crowning jewel where residents of all ages enjoy recreational activities and programs. Union members from IBEW Local 456, Laborers Local 77, Operating Engineers Local 825, Carpenters Local 254, Sheet Metal Local 27, Elevator Local 1, Tileworkers Local 7, Roofers/Waterproofers Local 4, Masons/Bricklayers Local 4 & 5, Ironworkers Local 11, and Glazers/Tapers/Painters Local 711 worked building the center as a duly functioning emergency evacuation shelter that was put to use most recently during Hurricane Ida. The construction attracted labor leader and former Senate President Steve Sweeney to tour with the State Senator Bob Smith and Assemblyman Joe Egan who knew all the workers on site.

The team supports utility workers and enjoys working with PSE&G and New Jersey American Water. In fact, Mayor Brian Wahler, is one of a few mayors to testify on behalf of PSE&G at BPU hearings. The advocacy for PSE&G to bring KV128 power lines across the Delaware Raritan Canal and the Raritan River facilitated the upgrade of two power substations in town.

“Improved infrastructure allows us to attract businesses. With this comes jobs. Considered the data capital of the northeast, Piscataway has more data and data recovery centers than any other place providing full-time union electrical jobs in the private sector. Our balanced economic development has brought in and continues to bring in good paying union jobs and this is something we promote because of the benefits,” said Councilman Jim Bullard who retired after a long career with Bell Labs.

“We are a pro-union town with an exceptional team of leaders that work across ALL levels of government. President Obama visited town. President Biden knows our Mayor personally. Senator Booker, Senator Menendez, Congressman Pallone, Governor Murphy, Assemblyman Egan, Assemblyman Danielsen, our County Commissioners and Constitutional Officers are part of our Democratic family and they work together with Piscataway’s own Senator Bob Smith, Sheriff Millie Scott and Commissioner Chanelle Scott McCullum,” explained Council President Michele Lombardi.

“Together we are all committed to promoting core Democratic values. We fought for $15 minimum wage and paid family leave and this is the reason our Governor chose to sign the law on paid family leave right here at our John F. Kennedy Library with us present. We will continue to work to provide development of clean industries that provide not only union construction jobs but long term employment for the future,” Lombardi concluded.