AFT/AAUP's Building Our Power in Higher Ed Summer Institute 2025

This July (17th-20th), President Laura Field attended AFT/AAUP's Summer Institute 2025 at Morehouse College in Atlanta. Together with Council President Emari DiGiorgio and colleagues from other institutions from across the nation, she presented on a panel titled "Responding to Institutional Mergers, Program Cuts & Restructuring." The focus of the conference was to learn how to organize, communicate, and advocate strategically in the company of other higher ed activists.

Photo, Above: Emari DiGiogio, President, College Council and Laura Field, President, Local 1904

AFT Collective Bargaining Conference 2025

On July 22th and 23rd, Local 1904 Officers Hugh Curnutt, Sue Baglieri, and Laura Field, attended AFT's Collective Bargaining Conference in Washington DC.  The conference brought together AFT officers, leaders, and staff to learn about the latest trends and best practices in collective bargaining. The conference covered topics related to preparation for negotiations and contract campaigns, as well as the role of membership engagement and building relationships.

Photo, Above: Sue Baglieri, Faculty Negotiator, Local 1904; Kean Officer; Laura Field, President, Local 1904; James Castiglione, President, Kean Local; Bruce Waltuck, Kean Adjunct Local; Tina Zappile, Negotiator, Stockton Local; Hugh Curnutt, VP for Negotiations, Local 1904;  Emari DiGiogio, President, College Council; Leonard Grayson, President, Kean Adjunct Local; Ed Shannon, President, Ramapo Local; Natalja Manger, Events Co-Manager, Stockton Local.

AFT NJ Know Your Rights Training

On August 6th, Bill Sullivan, Vice President for External Affairs, and Laura Field, President attended AFT New Jerseys' Know Your Rights! How to Protest Safely & Peacefully at the Rutgers Labor Education Center in New Brunswick  The full-day mass mobilization training featured presentations led by representatives from AFT national and the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey. Participants learned nonviolent protesting techniques, the best ways to organize a rally and much more.

   

New Jersey AFL-CIO's 2025 Legislative/Cope Endorsement Conference

On June 17th and 18th, AFT Local 1904 Officers joined other labor representatives from all over New Jersey in attendance of the New Jersey AFL-CIO's 2025 Legislative/COPE Endorsement Conference, "Rising the Meet the Moment," held in Atlantic City. Also in attendance were a number of national labor leaders, who offered wisdom, insight, and guidance on how our community can mobilize together to meet the demands of the moment. Conference delegates endorsed Congressional Representative Mikie Sherrill for NJ Governor, citing "her strong record of public service, her deep commitment to working families, and her unwavering support for organized labor." Delegates also endorsed various candidates for NJ Assembly, from a pool that included dozens of rank-and-file union members, whom they believe would amplify the voice of labor and serve as true allies to working families in NJ.

Bill Sullivan, Vice President for External Affairs, AFT Local 1904; Michael Heller, Treasurer, AFT Local 1904; Laura Field, President, AFT Local 1904; Jen Higgins, President, AFTNJ; Rich Wolfson, Past President, AFT Local 1904