Trenton, NJ – People gathered here to rally and hold a press conference, March 29, on the need for uncompensated write-down of overpriced mortgages contracted during the housing bubble, the period after 1997. The event marked a court hearing aimed at elimination of ‘robo-signing,’ foreclosures undertaken by banks that cannot prove ownership of the mortgage.

Trenton, NJ – About 6000 public workers turned up in a pouring rain here, Feb. 25 to stop New Jersey Governor Christopher Christie's campaign to strip their unions of collective bargaining rights. The main sponsors were the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) and Communications Workers of America (CWA). The rally strongly supported the heroic struggle of Wisconsin public workers to keep their collective bargaining rights. Unions contributed checks in support of the Wisconsin workers. Several ralliers wore cheesehead hats and many carried signs in support of the Wisconsin workers. Christie claims that since the state's finances are wreck, workers have to give up bargaining rights. He is particularly intent on destruction of the 208,000-member NJEA, one of the most influential teachers' unions in the country. This is the same guy who, immediately upon taking office, allowed an upper-bracket income tax to expire, costing the state $1 billion a year in lost revenue. Then he inflicted brutal cuts in state aid to schools and municipalities. The workers know where the blame lies and they aren't having any of it. The state's pension fund is over $100 billion in deficit in its obligations to employees. For 17 years the state has paid only a pittance, if anything, to the fund while workers paid full up per contract. Even more, the fiscal crisis is due to the Wall Street collapse of 2008. The masses know it, for the entire governor's plan is nonsense. The militancy is flowing upward to the union leadership. NJEA President Barbara Keshishian denounced the governor's “well organized and well funded war to destroy labor unions and public education.”

People Fight Back

Irvington, NJ – Essex County, New Jersey is the scene of intense struggle of the African-American community against police brutality and violence. On Nov. 24 police attacked a rally for community peace sponsored by the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition (NAVC) here. Three days later the people’s forces showed preparedness when they went back on the offensive at a long-scheduled rally against police brutality led by the People’s Organization for Progress.

Newark, NJ – On April 16, 2010 Fritz Louissant, a Haitian immigrant, was late on the rent at the motel where he lived in Rahway, New Jersey. He had been there four months. He had always before paid on time.

Newark, NJ – A People’s Hearing against Foreclosure and Homelessness took place here, Oct. 26. Many people, many issues and many ideas were heard. Sponsors included the People’s Organization for Progress (POP), the National Organization for Women-NJ and the Newark Teachers’ Association (NTA). A People’s Bailout Program emerged as a concrete and realistic vehicle of people’s struggle.

East Orange, NJ – On July 6, 2009 Jacqui Graham, 21, was found dead in a cell in the police headquarters here. His body was naked and badly bruised. He had been arrested for public intoxication a few days before. It is evident he was beaten to death while in police custody. The victim was African-American.

Newark, NJ – Thousands of high school students in New Jersey walked out of their schools on April 27 to oppose $820 million in cuts to state aid by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Newark had the largest number of students who chose to walk out, with about 2000 students taking over the steps and the street in front of City Hall for their protest. The statewide protest was triggered by a Facebook page posted by Michelle Ryan Lauto, a college freshman.

Irvington, NJ – The People’s Organization for Progress (POP) held a protest at the Irvington, New Jersey branch of Wachovia, a subsidiary of Wells Fargo, April 17. Irvington has been devastated by foreclosures, with many boarded-up houses on every residential block in town.

Newark, NJ – Community forces here, led by the United Front to Defend Public Education (UFDPE) are opposing funding cutbacks and the privatization of public schools. There have been marches and rallies, speakers at public forums and literature distribution to oppose the cutbacks.

On April 6 a battle in India’s Dantewada district claimed the lives of 76 government security personnel. A patrol of 80 soldiers was attacked by a 300-person detachment of the People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), military wing of the Communist Party of India (Maoist). Eight communists were also killed in the battle.