SAG-AFTRA Honored at New Jersey State AFL-CIO 31st Constitutional Convention and 30th Labor Awards

SAG-AFTRA leadership, local board members and staff from the New York and Philadelphia locals joined hundreds of union members from up and down the Garden State for the New Jersey State AFL-CIO 31st Constitutional Convention held June 11–12 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At the convention, which was themed “One State, One Voice, One Labor Movement: Standing Strong and Growing,” the delegates unanimously voted to re-elect New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech and Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan to four-year terms. State legislators in attendance included Gov. Phil Murphy, who addressed the crowd, giving a notable shout-out to SAG-AFTRA. U.S. Rep. Andy Kim also attended.

On the evening of June 11, SAG-AFTRA Chief Labor Policy Officer and New York Local Executive Director Rebecca Damon was honored with the Labor Award at the 30th Annual New Jersey AFL-CIO Labor Awards in recognition of the work she has done on behalf of SAG-AFTRA members and all union members who live and work in New Jersey in their fight for fair wages and safe working conditions. Longtime supporters of the work SAG-AFTRA does, the New Jersey State AFL-CIO was a stalwart supporter of the 2023 TV/Theatrical/Streaming Contracts strike, and in addition to attending multiple strike actions in New York City, they also co-hosted a special picket with the New York State AFL-CIO at the Netflix/Warner Bros. Discovery picket in September 2023.

“The support for SAG-AFTRA’s strike was one of the many ways the New Jersey AFL-CIO fights for workers in the state,” said Damon in her remarks. “We’re so grateful and proud of what we’ve accomplished together.” 

Top photo: From left, Philadelphia Local Board member Mike Kraycik, Philadelphia Local President Nicole Izanec, Philadelphia Local Executive Director Stephen Leshinski, Chief Labor Policy Officer and New York Local Executive Director Rebecca Damon, New York Local Board  Member Kevin Scullin, New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech, New York Local Vice President Liz Zazzi, New York Local President Ezra Knight and New Jersey State AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Laurel Brennan at the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Labor Awards held on June 11 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.