Krystal Woolston Honored at National AFT Convention

Krystal Woolston (AFT Local 1904 member and Assistant Director of Service Learning and Community Engagement at Montclair State University) was honored this past week at the 2014 AFT National Convention in Los Angeles, CA, as the AFT Everyday Hero. You can read about Krystal's heroism by clicking here. And view her acceptance speech below. The AFT Local 1904 extends our heartfelt congratulations to Krystal.

Labor Solidarity in Montclair

AFT Local 1904 officers Rich Wolfson, Ken Brook, and Bill Sullivan (pictured above) supported the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers of New Jersey (BAC/ADC) at their demonstration against developers, LCOR/Pinnacle, at the "Valley & Bloom" construction site in Montclair on Tuesday July 8th, 2014. The demonstration was organized by Thomas F. McIntyre (pictured far left) from the International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers. Our trade union brothers and sisters called on LCOR to abide by its contractual agreement and use union pension funds it received from California teachers unions to create union jobs. 

Please lend your support to California teachers and ensure that the jobs we create here in New Jersey support a middle class standard of living and carry the stamp of skilled union labor. To read more about this dispute and how you can lend your support through a simple phone call [click here].

Statement to the Board of Trustees

At the June 11, 2014 Board of Trustees meeting, Jennifer Higgins (Professional Staff Negotiations Coordinator) presented a statement on behalf of the AFT Local 1904. The statement commended the university's commitment to hiring and promoting full-time, tenure-track faculty and also applauded the recent performance-based promotions of professional staff members. The statement also called for peer review for professional staff and cautioned against the excessive administrative staffing and pay raises of managers on campus. You can read the entire statement by clicking here.

Essex-West Hudson Labor Council Scholarship Winner

Bill Sullivan, David Benfield, Nicholas Deprospo and Jennifer Higgins

Nicholas Deprospo received a $500 Essex-West Hudson Labor Council Scholarship. He recently graduated 9th in his class from St. Joseph's Regional High School in Montvale, NJ. Nicholas will be attending Loyola University Maryland in the fall as a Finance/Math major.

Nicholas and other scholarship recipients were honored at the 27th Annual Essex-West Hudson Labor Council Breakfast on Sunday June 8, 2014 at the Chandelier Restaurant in Belleville. AFT Local 1904 Officers Jennifer Higgins, David Benfield, and Bill Sullivan attended the event.

AFT Local 1904 supports the Essex-West Hudson Labor Council Scholarship fund through annual donations. Click here if you know a high school senior who might be interested in applying for next year.