My Latino Students Need Me--and I Need Them

An Article by in AFT Voices by Department Chair and Professor of Educational Foundations at Montclair State University (and AFT Local 1904 Member), Jaime Grinberg.

"For the most part, being Latino in college is still the exception rather than the rule. At MSU we have a large Latino student population and have been designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, but that doesn’t mean our students’ families have been coming to universities for generations. They need advice about everything from financial aid to housing. And they deserve it--when tuition is as much as the parent's salary, which was the case with one parent I spoke with, yet the family still prioritizes higher education, it’s essential we educators respect that and support those families as much as possible." -- Prof. Jaime Grinberg

For the full article, follow this link.

AFT Local 1904 Vice President for External Affairs, Jennifer Higgins, Honored by Essex-West Hudson Labor Council (AFL-CIO)

The AFT Local 1904 is proud to share that our very own Vice President for External Affairs, Jennifer Higgins, received a special recognition award this morning at the Essex-West Hudson Labor Council's (AFL-CIO) 31st Annual Scholarship and Awards Breakfast, at the Chandelier in Belleville, NJ. Jennifer has, over the years, been a tireless advocate for organized labor and collective bargaining, on local and state levels. Jennifer was honored along with three other colleagues, likewise acknowledged for their labor activism. We wish her the most heart-felt congratulations.

Also at the breakfast, A number of college-bound high school students were presented with $1000 EWHLC scholarship awards--including Akira Sessoms, son of Troy Sessoms from MSU Intercollegiate Athletics. Several prominent figures representing New Jersey in national leadership were also in attendance--including U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, U.S. Representative Donald Payne, Jr. (of the 10th Congressional District), and Mikie Sherrill (Democratic Candidate for the 11th Congressional District)--shared words of inspiration and support for the labor movement. The event was hosted by our perennial ally, State Assemblyman Thomas Giblin.

How the Plaintiff in Janus v. AFSCME Benefits from His Union

Many in the labor movement are bracing for a likely anti-union ruing in the Supreme Court case Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, which would weaken public sector unions by letting workers receive the benefits of representation without contributing toward the cost. Donnie Killen, who works in the same building as the plaintiff, Mark Janus, shares his perspectives on the irony of Janus's role as plaintiff in the case, here.

Professional Staff New Hire Orientation

There was a good turnout at AFT Local 1904's Professional Staff New Hire Orientation today.

The Local's Vice President for External Affairs, Jennifer Higgins, led the workshop and invited questions from those attending. Other officers were there to introduce themselves, and to welcome attendees.