NJEA president at rally accuses Gov. Christie of trying to start a 'middle-class civil war'
Published: Friday, February 25, 2011, 2:30 PM Updated: Friday, February 25, 2011, 2:31 PM
Several thousand union workers are expected to protest at a "Unity Rally" organized by the AFL-CIO in support of Wisconsin public workers. Gov. Christie has said he supports Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's plan to strip most of hist state's public workers of collective bargaining rights.TRENTON — In front of a crowd of thousands of protestors, the president of the state’s largest teachers union accused Gov. Chris Christie of trying to foment a civil war within the middle-class.
“All of New Jersey’s middle-class is hurting, but this governor and his right-wing supporters are trying to start a middle-class civil war,” said New Jersey Education Association President Barbara Keshishian.
As she spoke, thousands of public workers filled the street in front of the Statehouse, wearing ponchos and holding umbrellas to keep as dry as possible in the pouring rain. State Police estimated the crowd at 3,100.
The rally, organized by the state AFL-CIO, was both aimed at pushing back against benefit concessions demanded by Christie, and in support of Wisconsin public unions,