CWA District 1 Gets Political on Healthcare

On October 27, members of CWA District 1 hosted a breakfast forum bringing together endorsed Assembly candidates, incumbents, and public sector workers and retirees for a critical dialogue on the state’s escalating healthcare affordability crisis. The event, held amid a high-stakes election season, underscored the urgent need for legislative solutions to curb skyrocketing costs that are crushing public servants and taxpayers alike.

The attending legislators included Assemblymembers Gabriel Rodriguez, Ellen Park, Shama Haider, Lisa Swain, and Chris Tully. They were joined by first-time Assembly candidates Larry Wainstein and Katie Brennan, who won their races on Tuesday. Also attending the forum was N.J. State Senator and Senate Labor Chair Gordon Johnson.

The group heard from CWA members and retirees, including state and local government workers who provide essential services to New Jersey, about the real-world impact of rising premiums, deductibles, and out-of-pocket expenses. Members shared harrowing accounts of forgoing promotions, struggling to afford life-saving medications, and having to access Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid benefits to help feed their families.

“Our members are getting crushed by skyrocketing healthcare costs,” said Anna-Marta Visky, CWA District 1's New Jersey Political and Field Director. “We have electoralized this issue successfully,” continued Visky, “endorsing only candidates who stand with us in our fight to make healthcare affordable for our members, for the state, and for taxpayers alike.”

Click here to read more about the struggles of CWA members and their fight for a better New Jersey.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.