Join the Celebration!

21st Annual Celebration of Labor

Friday, September 7, 2012 at 5:00 p.m.

Newark City Hall

The Essex-West Hudson Labor Council AFL-CIO is sponsoring its 21st Annual Celebration of Labor Parade on Friday, September 7, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. The parade will commence with a Pre-Parade Program at Newark City Hall, followed by a march from City Hall to Washington Park. This is the only event held in New Jersey that honors working families. There will be food an refreshments afterwards.

If you are interested in participating, contact the Local's office at ext. 4453 or via email. Transportation to the event will be arranged.

Friends and family are welcome and we particularly encourage you to bring your children. It will be fun for them marching down Broad Street waving to the assembled crowd.

AFT National Convention 2012

"This new reality—this new normal—demands an entirely new approach to unionism: an approach that is relevant and appropriate to the 21st century; an approach that is creative and visionary, and unifies the people we represent and those we serve—our students, our patients, our families and our communities. Solution-driven unionism." - Randi Weingarten's remarks at AFT's 2012 Convention.

Board of Trustees Statement

At Board of Trustee's meeting on July 26, 2012, Rich Wolfson, President of AFT Local 1904, addressed the board and asked them to consider:

• not increasing tuition; 
• to take the money saved on faculty and staff increases and put it into instructional programs; and 
• a freeze on all managerial salaries including any increases or longevity payments Dr. Cole was slated for this year. 

Instead, the board voted to increase tuition and give raises to managers. To read his full statement, click here. 

Contract Ratification Process

Voting on our Contract Ratification will take place in September. Only full dues paying members can vote and ballots will be mailed on September 7, 2012 by US Postal Service. If you have recently moved, please contact the AFT Local 1904’s office to update your information – ext. 4453 or union@mail.montclair.edu. 

If you are not sure if you are full dues paying member, please contact Linda Turano, AFT Local 1904’s Office Manager to find out – ext. 4453 or email us at union@mail.montclair.edu. If you are not a member, i.e. an Agency payer, and want to vote, contact us immediately and we will get a membership card to sign, or you can print out a copy of the form, sign it and bring it to AFT Local 1904’s office (College Hall 314A) by August 28th at 12:00 p.m. to be eligible to vote.

Hand delivered ballots must be received no later than September 28th at 3 p.m. in the Council of NJ State College Local office and mailed ballots must be post marked no later than September 28th. Ballots will be counted on October 3, 2012.

To read the details of the Tentative Agreement, click here.