Turnpike employees union endorses Sherrill

Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair) has picked up the endorsement of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) Local 194 for her bid to win the Democratic nomination for governor.

The union represents more than 1,000 employees of the New Jersey Turnpike from across the state.

“She’s committed to standing up for working families, and she is ready to make bold investments in New Jersey’s aging transportation and infrastructure systems,” said Barry Kushnir, the union president and the former head of the Hudson County Central Labor Council.  “She will be a partner in our fight to protect our collective bargaining rights, ensure that the folks who keep the New Jersey Turnpike running have fair wages and good working conditions, and fully fund our state’s pension system.”

Kushnir called Sherrill the “Tunnel Obsessed Congresswoman” and pointed to her efforts to fund the Gateway project and said she would be “an infrastructure-focused governor — with a clear plan to invest in our roads, tunnels, and bridges, and fix our broken public transportation system with transit-oriented development.”

Sherrill, whose grandfather was a union member, said that labor unions “built New Jersey and continue to create opportunities for middle-class families to thrive here in the Garden State.”

“I am proud to earn the support of the working men and women who keep our Turnpike safe and running day in and day out,” Sherrill said.  “I look forward to working together to make bold investments in our public transportation systems, fix our aging infrastructure, and ensure that working families have a fair shot.”