Trenton, NJ-In response to the historic vote and passage of A15/S15, which raises the wages of nearly 1 million New Jersey workers, the members of the Raise NJ campaign, a coalition of more than 40 grassroots, community, faith based and pro-worker organizations across the state, said:

Raise NJ Coalition Spokesperson and NJ Working Families Director, Analilia Mejia

After years of standing up and speaking out, New Jersey’s working families are on the verge of getting their hard-won raise. This historic legislation will mean real economic security for hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans, helping them cover groceries, pay the bills, and afford rent. What’s more, it will put money in the pockets of consumers who will then make purchases at local businesses and drive our economy forward. We thank elected leaders in Trenton for heeding the call of working families across this state and taking us one big step closer to a fairer and more prosperous New Jersey.

Action Together New Jersey, Director for Economic Policy & Trade, John George

The state of New Jersey’s economy is stronger when the system works for all residents. This increase is a welcome first step towards bringing prosperity to the state’s working families and allowing them to reinvest back into their local economies.

American Workforce Association, President, Daniel Uloa

The American Workforce Association (AWA) is overjoyed that the bill to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour passed the legislature today. It is great to see such swift action after three years of delays. This will benefit many New Jersey workers who struggle every week living paycheck to paycheck. It will bring peace of mind to those who have long needed this bill to pass to stay afloat.

Anti-Poverty Network of New Jersey, Executive Director, Renee Koubiadis

All workers deserve a raise to get by in our high-cost state. The working poor are suffering. “Working poor” are two words that should never be heard together in the richest nation in the world, nor one of the richest states in that nation. If you are working you should be able to afford all of yours and your family’s basic needs. While every worker deserves the dignity of a decent wage as human beings, we applaud Assembly and Senate legislators for passing this legislation that helps many low-wage workers survive more easily in our high-cost state.

BlueWave New Jersey, Executive Director, Marcia Marley

BWNJ has long advocated for a $15 minimum wage for all workers and we commend Governor Murphy and the legislature for passing this important legislation. Through direct and indirect wage increases, this legislation will boost income for an estimated one million workers and, through their additional consumption, will add billions to the state’s economy over the next few years. While we applaud and have worked hard to pass this legislation, we are concerned about groups that are left out and/or on separate tracks. Moreover, given the state’s high cost of living and a current sustainable wage of $18 an hour or more, we firmly believe the phase-in until at least 2024 is ridiculously long.

CATA- The Farmworker Support Committee, Executive Director, Jessica Culley

As a workers’ rights organization, CATA – The Farmworker Support Committee recognizes the need for all workers to have at least a $15 minimum wage. Throughout this campaign, our focus has been on advocating for farmworkers, a crucial yet particularly vulnerable workforce in New Jersey, to not be excluded from this increase. We are pleased that many workers will get the raise they need, but are extremely disappointed that legislators in the Garden State have decided to perpetuate the long history of exemptions for farm workers, a workforce made up of predominantly people of color. This new law only raises farmworkers to $12.50 an hour in 5 years and then allows for state officials to stop any further increases if they so choose. This policy allows for the potential creation of a subclass of workers and does not guarantee that farmworkers will reach a $15 minimum wage, something that we can not support.

Laundry Distribution and Food Service Joint Board, Workers United, SEIU & International VP, Workers United, Co-Manager, Alberto Arroyo

We applaud legislative leaders and the governor for working together to make $15 an hour happen. This will positively impact the economy and provide desperately needed help to working families in NJ. We as a union will continue to fight for a future where all workers get to $15 without exclusion and to secure all workers right to have a union.

Luther Episcopal Advocacy Ministry of New Jersey, Executive Director, Rev. Sara Lilja

God hears the cry of the workers who are entitled to a fair day’s wage. “Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.”  James 5:4 (ESV)  The Lutheran Episcopal Advocacy Ministry of NJ continues to urge the legislature to listen to workers and pass the minimum wage bill that is currently being reviewed.  Although it is not a perfect bill, it represents a step forward to help New Jersey workers afford to live and raise their families in this high cost state.

Make the Road New Jersey, teen leader, Gennesy Jimenez

Organizing works! New Jersey’s new minimum wage law will raise the floor for more than 1 million workers – including teen workers – across the state of New Jersey. Working class teens, whose contributions make up nearly 20% of their families income in NJ, organized, collected thousands of petition signatures, marched and wrote Op-Eds. We look forward to advancing an economic agenda that builds a stronger New Jersey for all, and leaves no workers behind. New Jersey can win what our families deserve.

New Jersey Citizen Action, Executive Director, Phyllis Salowe-Kaye

Hard work should be rewarded by something better than poverty. Thanks to legislative action today, New Jersey is on the path to raise the wages of nearly 1 million working New Jerseyans. A $15 minimum wage will not only dramatically improve the lives of workers and their families, but is also a bottom-up investment in our economy. Thank you to everyone who made this legislation a reality: Governor Murphy, Speaker Coughlin, Senate President Sweeney and the tireless advocacy from workers and organizations. Today is a great day for New Jersey.

New Jersey Policy Perspective, Director of Government and Public Affairs, Brandon McKoy

Raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour will improve the lives of millions of people across New Jersey as low-paid workers and their families will be able to more easily afford their basic day-to-day needs. The positive impact of this change will reverberate throughout the economy as workers will immediately have more purchasing power, spending their increased earnings in their local communities and benefiting businesses on Main Street. We applaud the legislature for recognizing that millions of New Jerseyans suffer from poverty wages and making it a priority to urgently pass this bill onto the governor’s desk. This will be one of the most consequential and beneficial pieces of legislation in the state’s history, helping to reduce poverty, mitigate income inequality, and strengthen our economy.

New Jersey Main Street Alliance, Steering Committee Member, Kelly Conklin

Increasing the minimum wage has been delayed for far too long and it makes absolute economic sense to start the gradual raise now. Small business owners have been the backbone of the economy and many have been paying their workers above the minimum wage for quite some time now.  Paying workers a decent, livable wage means they will play a vital part in the local economy which is a win-win for Main Street. This legislation will bring big business to the table and ensure that they too begin compensating their workers for their productivity. It does not make economic sense for big business to receive tax breaks and also pay their workers a low page, forcing them to rely on state safety nets as well as have no financial security for the future. If we want New Jersey to have a thriving economic future, we need to ensure that we pass this legislation, as its good for both workers and Main Street at the same time.

SEIU 32BJ, Vice President and New Jersey District Director, Kevin Brown

We are pleased to see a $15 minimum wage for New Jersey finally being voted on and approved by the legislature after years of community, labor, immigrant and faith groups organizing, protesting and lobbying together. A $15 minimum wage will support local workers, their families and the communities they support. It is a step forward for our economy and for all working people in our great state. We would like to thank the legislature for passing this amazing bill that will change people’s lives for the better. It is a victory for all New Jerseyans and shows the true power that we can have on politics, the economy and our lives when we stick together. This is major progress for the state of New Jersey. Now the fight continues for workers in our state to have the benefits and union representation they need and deserve.

UU FaithAction NJ, Executive Director, Rev. Rob Gregson

Unitarian Universalist FaithAction NJ is pleased that Gov. Murphy, Sen. Sweeney and state legislators were able to work together to get a version of the $15 Minimum wage bill passed.  Our state and country betray our deepest values when we consign hundreds of thousands of our fellow human beings to “barely making it” while they harvest and serve our food, stock our shelves, and care for our kids and elders.  $15 bucks an hour (by 2024, and only for a portion of the workforce) is an important first step, but we need to start getting real and ensure that those who grind the flour, gather the fruit, make the pie and serve it are given a fairer slice at the end.

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