Gov. Phil Murphy has signed into law a measure that gradually increases New Jersey’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2024.
Murphy’s signature is a huge win for public and private sector workers alike. AFSCME members in New Jersey could not be happier to stand with our sister and brother labor unions that fought tirelessly for more than a year to make sure that a person working 40 hours per week can have the stability of a living wage.
“Together we are making New Jersey a national model for the responsible, progressive economic policies that our country needs,” Murphy said at the bill signing in Elizabeth on Feb. 4. “In New Jersey, we have won the fight for 15, but we will never stop fighting for fairness for all of our working families.”
New Jersey is just the fourth jurisdiction to approve a $15 minimum wage policy, joining other blue states like California, Massachusetts and New York, as well as Washington, D.C.
“The minimum wage increase is a huge win for 1.2 million workers in New Jersey. We have started on our way to making our economy stronger and fairer for everyone,” said Steve Tully, executive director of AFSCME New Jersey.
AFSCME NJ believes that everyone working to sustain their community deserves the respect of a living wage, and we are happy to support the governor as well as the countless other elected officials who made this bill a reality for so many New Jerseyans.