Successful Final Solidarity Walk of 2018-2019

On Wednesday, May 22nd, 2019, a sizable group of AFT Local 1904 members gathered on a beautiful, sunny day for our final Solidarity Walk of the 2018-2019 academic year, on the Montclair State University campus. We appreciate everyone who came out to join us. Walks resume this September.

Over the summer, the Local will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of our unit, including both local and statewide negotiations, as well as any other issues related to our contract and collective bargaining pertinent to our constituents.

2019 Becker-Keenen-Moore-Brook-Uhia-Waller, Yovnello, and Nunn Scholarship Awards

AFT Local 1904 is very pleased to have awarded seven scholarships in 2019! Recipients were acknowledged at our Membership Meeting on Wednesday, May 8th, 2019, in University Hall. 

Pictured above, from left to right are scholarship recipients Kimberly Calloway (BKMBUW) and Ashley Vitiello (Yovnello Award), followed by AFT Local 1904 Vice President for Internal Affairs Brian Abrams, followed in turn by recipients Melika Ghayoomi (BKMBUW), Carlissa Auguste (BKMBUW), and Nana-Yaa Bawuah (BKMBUW), finally followed by Scholarship Committee Members Lisa Williams and Reginald Halaby. Not in attendance for the photo were scholarship recipients Terralyn Hayes (BKMBUW) and Victoria Santiago (BKMBUW), along with Scholarship Committee members Catherine Baird, Karen Mingo-Campbell, and Carmen Reyes-Cuevas.

Recipients are all undergraduate students in various majors, in good academic standing, with strong scholastic aspirations, and who have demonstrated that they would substantively benefit from the support of the scholarship as a resource. Our heartfelt thanks to members of the 2019 Scholarship Committee, to those who provided recipients letters of recommendation, to Linda Turano for helping to manage the scholarship applications, and to the Local 1904 Officers for supporting the Scholarship Committee's award recommendations.

The BKMBUW Scholarship Fund was originally established in 1997 (followed shortly by establishment of Yovnello and Nunn awards). The Scholarship currently honors Catherine A. Becker, James P. Keenen III, Joseph T. Moore, Kenneth H. Brook, Anita E. Uhia, and Connie Waller, all former faculty and active union members who were deeply committed to the principles of collective bargaining and to helping our students who demonstrate a significant economic need. Please consider contributing to the fund, including in another's name (loved one, etc.).

Congratulations to all seven recipients!

AFT Local 1904 Shows Solidarity at Kean University Rally

President Rich Wolfson attended a rally at Kean University today, joining together in solidarity with AFT Local 2187's and the general faculty community's objections to a decision by Kean's administration not to renew the contracts of more than a dozen full-time lecturers—many of whom spoke out earlier this school year after losing their private office spaces. The majority of the affected employees are women or people of color—a concern highlighted in a letter to Kean officials by New Jersey Assemblywoman Mila Jasey, Chair of the Assembly Higher Education Committee. Both Assemblywoman Jasey and Senator Joe Cryan (pictured standing together below, center photo), attended and spoke out at the Rally.