PBA members uniting all the way to the phone bank
n BY JOSHUA SIGMUND
The NJ State PBA doesn’t just want its endorsed candidates to win.
It wants them to win BIG.
On Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3), the State PBA will double down
on its successful phone bank that helped boost favorable candidates
during the June primary.
“We are planning on an even bigger phone bank (than the one in
June during the primary election) and we need to have more bodies
on the street to help get out the vote,” triumphed State PBA Executive
Vice-President Marc Kovar.
These “boots on the ground,” as described by Saddle River Local
348 State Delegate and Political Action Committeeman Charles
Schwartz, are currently and continuously campaigning for candidates
by walking door-to-door, driving around handing out information
and of course, hitting the phones.
“If it’s an endorsed candidate for the PBA, we’re going to put out as
many people as we can,” Schwartz affirmed.
State PBA Political Action Committee Chairperson and Montgomery Township Local 355 State Delegate Joe Sles indicated that the
political action effort is riding the wave of momentum since the June
phone bank.
“We are trying to get the message out to delegates to let their members know how it feels when the governor says your pensions won’t be
touched and everyone’s up in arms and said ‘let’s take action,’” Sles
continued. “Well here we are – it’s time to get off the sidelines and get
involved.”
If this will be your first time volunteering at a phone bank, expect
the vibe to be exciting.
“Volunteers work hard because they know they’re making a difference,” Sles assured. “They know they have to be involved not just for
themselves but for their brothers and sisters in the PBA.”
In June, volunteers inundated the State PBA Office in Woodbridge,
filling both floors and every available room with callers. This time, the
PBA rented out a hall in The Forge Inn (1002 Route 9 in Woodbridge),
“and we’re hoping to pack the building,” Sles predicted.
Just like last time, certain PBA-supporting legislators are likely to
swing by and meet the women and men who are advocating on their
behalf.
“We look forward to continuing our relationship with these legislators,” added Sles. “We’ve met with 96 legislators around the State, and
we’ve been getting the facts out there regarding the health of our system. And with the State PBA PAC fund, it’s made a big difference being
able to support various candidates and being able to build relationships with them. It shows we’re involved, engaged and ready to go.”
Retired PBA members will be coming out in droves, and among
other things are working to reinstate COLA.
“Coke or Pepsi?” joked Retired Officers Local 600 Treasurer Tom
Milmoe.
Right now, retired members seem to be stuck with Coke Zero – zero
cost of living adjustment, that is. In order to get the full calorie… er, the
fully promised… COLA, retired members understand the need to get
involved to try to make changes. After all, Milmoe added, “We’re not
getting changes with the (legislators) there now, so we need to contribute. The active guys are working all day and the retired guys mostly
have time off to put time into it. We’re retired; not dead.”
To get involved, logon to www.njspba.com/volunteer and fill out
your information. Someone from the State PBA Office will get in touch
with you to let you know how you can help. Or reach out to your State
Delegate.
So with barely a fortnight until Nov. 3, PBA members who make up
the largest public safety labor organization in the State have the
opportunity to dictate their future by exercising their quintessential
right to vote.
“It’s very disheartening when I hear members and the public say
‘my vote doesn’t matter, politics doesn’t matter,’” Sles noted. “Many
men and women have died in this country to secure that right and
freedom and to not get out and get involved is frustrating. There are
districts that come down to a few votes. You can make a difference if
you want to.”d
2015 NJ State PBA endorsements for the General Assembly
The following list of candidates for the New Jersey Legislature was approved by the NJ State PBA Board of Delegates following a careful analysis of voting records and assistance on issues of [\ܝ[