Fight Attempts to Dissolve The Bargaining Unit

Dear Unit Members,

Attached are two documents. The first is the letter that the Presidents of the State Colleges and Universities sent to the legislative leaders in Trenton regarding breaking up our bargaining unit.
The second letter is the Council of New Jersey State Locals' (Council) response to this letter which was sent on November 11, 2010 to the
legislative leadership, which I signed on behalf of our Local.
Be assured, the Council and the officers of AFT Local 1904 will
continue to fight the attempt to dissolve our bargaining unit. However,
we need you to continue to call your state legislators and
voice your opposition the following bills: S-2026/A-2963; S-2338/A-3220;
S-2337/A-3219.

In Solidarity,
Jennifer S. Higgins
President, AFT Local 1904

Assembly Democrats Call on Christie to End His War on Higher Education

(TRENTON) – The lead Assembly sponsors of a law passed in January to create greater accountability and transparency at state colleges and universities today urged Governor Christie to call a truce in his war on New Jersey’s education system and stop cherry-picking the laws he chooses to implement.
The sponsors - Assembly Majority Leader Joe Cryan, Assembly Education Committee Chair Patrick J. Diegnan, Jr. and Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair Pamela Lampitt - sent a letter to Christie today urging him to act immediately to fulfill his obligation under the new law to nominate an individual to the newly created cabinet-level post of Secretary of Higher Education. [read more]

Election Committee Clarification

After due consideration, the Local 1904 Election Committee wishes to clarify that participation in the Special Election for president of AFT Local 1904 should be extended to all members in good standing as of October 15, 2010.  Members in good standing as of October 15, 2010 shall be eligible to submit nominations petitions, sign petitions and vote in the Special Election.  We regret that if you were not a member in full standing as of October 15 you cannot participate in the current election process and do hope that you will consider becoming a full member of the AFT Local 1904 in the near future.

Please remember that the deadline for petitions is November 15, 2010 and for the submission of ballots December 6, 2010.

—AFT Local 1904 Election Committee

Special Election Update

The Elections Committee (Committee) had its first meeting on October 25, 2010. The members of the Committee consist of Grover Furr, Michael Heller, Jennifer Hunt, Matthew Pierce and Jack Samuels. They elected Jack Samuels as chair, and have sent out a Notice of Special Elections to the membership for the position of President.[Click here to Download]