TRENTON — There were cheeseheads, signs calling for the recall of Gov. Chris Christie, and chants about solidarity.

Bemoaning what some called a nationwide attack on the middle class, poncho-clad public workers flooded Trenton Friday in a show of support for employees in Wisconsin, where Gov. Scott Walker has called for an end to collective bargaining. The rally, organized by the state AFL-CIO, attracted a crowd of about 3,100, State Police said.

"All of New Jersey’s middle class is hurting, but this governor and his right-wing supporters are trying to start a middle-class civil war," said New Jersey Education Association President Barabara Keshishian. "The ultimate goal is to destroy all unions."

The speakers, who included both national labor leaders and representatives from Wisconsin, painted a grim picture of millionaires getting richer while the middle class shrinks.

"Nothing less than the fate of our middle class is at stake right now," said Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO national president. "Public employees didn’t cause New Jersey’s budget problems. They didn’t cause New Jersey’s pension problems."

In the crowd, some said they gathered in the rain to support middle-class workers across the country, while others honed in on New Jersey labor issues. Ralliers toted signs saying "Stop the war on workers," "Negotiate don’t dictate" and "Cut the FAT from the budget. Fire Christie."

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"The governor should be aware he needs to bargain in good faith," said Michael McGarvey, a professor of art at Stockton College. "We don’t think the budget should be balanced on the backs of public employees."

In his budget address Tuesday, Christie said private sector workers "support the rich benefits of public employees." He’s pushing for major givebacks from the workforce, including paying more towards their health premiums and downgrading future pension benefits.

"Every firefighter in the state is displeased with the governor," said Steve McConlogue, a firefighter captain in Elizabeth.

Jessica Shaw, 29, who works for CWA local 1040 in Hamilton, said many of her family members belong to unions. Her friends and family have already taken hits from frozen wages, furlough days and higher payments for health care.

"I think he’s a bully," she said of Christie. "Balancing the budget is the right priority but not on the backs of working people."

Christie was in Washington Friday at the National Governors Association meeting. In a Thursday night radio interview on New Jersey 101.5, he said he didn’t care about the rally.

"They’ll show complete and utter disrespect for me you can count on it," Christie said. "There’ll be all kinds of ugly and hateful signs. That just shows their character. When I talk about these things I talk about them on the issues."

As the public workers rallied, so did about 50 conservatives at a rally sponsored by Americans for Prosperity half a block away. The counter-protesters held flags reading "Don’t tread on me" and pumped classic rock through the speakers before Americans for Prosperity State Director Steve Lonegan blasted the unions.

"It’s really easy to turn out a couple thousand people when you’re using your union dues to do it and you only have to move 20 feet from the building. It’s an awful lot harder for us to take a day off from work and to come to Trenton in the rain," Lonegan said. "Folks, every one of you standing here now is representing 10,000 taxpayers that are at work today."

Lonegan said most of the state’s elected officials are beholden to union "bosses" and that "it’s time the taxpayers fought back."

"Here’s my message to our friends down the block: Go back to work. We’re paying you," he said. "Go back to work. We can’t afford it anymore."

Leaders of New Jersey state worker unions whose contracts expire in June said they are ready to come to the table as soon as possible. "We have no interest in putting people out of work, we have no interest in layoffs," said Charles Wowkanech, president of New Jersey AFL-CIO. "We’re taxpayers, we’re working families, we want the sacrifice to be equal."

By Megan DeMarco and Matt Friedman/The Star-Ledger



Staff writer Salvador Rizzo contributed to this report.