Press releases | American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

Weingarten calls on Governor to investigate Farahi and safeguard whistle-blowers

February 06, 2012

Supports local demand for independent investigation of charges against Kean President

UNION, NJ…Mounting evidence of resume fraud by Kean University President Dawood Farahi necessitates both an independent investigation and protection for whistle-blowers who called academic claims into question, according to American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten. Among the causes for concern, the leader of the 1.5 million-member union noted that Kean management recently removed athletic director Glenn Hedden, allegedly for reporting a host of NCAA violations including rigging grades for student athletes by administrators.

“To ignore the requests for an independent and prompt investigation into allegations of resume fraud by President Farahi will make it all that more difficult to restore Kean University’s integrity,” Weingarten wrote to Governor Chris Christie, reiterating a request made by Kean Federation of Teachers (KFT) President James Castiglione in January.

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Kean University Union Calls on Governor for External Investigation

January 20, 2012

Allegations of resume fraud risk further accreditation, NCAA sanctions

UNION, NJ…The Kean University full-time faculty and professional staff union has released a letter today calling for Governor Chris Christie to convene an independent investigation into allegations that Kean President Dawood Farahi has falsified his professional and academic credentials dating back to his application for employment in 1982. Since first writing to the Kean Board of Trustees nearly two months ago, union President Dr. James A. Castiglione reports receiving more documentation that items listed on Dr. Farahi’s resumes over the last three decades are inaccurate, prompting the call to investigate.

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Kean University Union releases findings challenging President’s resume claims

January 09, 2012

Calls on Kean Trustees to initiate an independent, academic investigation

UNION, NJ…The Kean University full-time faculty and professional staff Union has presented evidence of suspected fraud by President Dawood Farahi, the latest in a series of scandals that have plagued his presidency, and is calling for a full and independent investigation by the Kean University Board of Trustees, according to Union President Dr. James A. Castiglione.
Research by faculty members on and off campus has documented that Dr. Farahi’s resume and application for employment contain false claims of scholarship in the opinion of the Kean Federation of Teachers.
• Dr. Farahi’s curriculum vitae (CV) claims “Over 50 technical articles in major publications” but extensive searches of scholarly databases find no such publications.
• Dr. Farahi’s application for employment claims several publications that cannot be substantiated and several that have been refuted by the editors of their respective journals. For example, although Dr. Farahi claims to have an article titled, “Patterns of Administrative Efficiency” accepted for publication in Administrative Science Quarterly in 1981, the journal editor specifically refutes Dr. Farahi’s claim, stating emphatically, “ASQ has never published an article by Dawood Farahi, nor have we ever accepted an article by Dawood Farahi…”

More>>Kean University Union releases findings challenging President’s resume claims

Rutgers One Delivers 6,000-Plus Petition Calling on University to Pay Frozen Wage

October 13, 2011

McCormick Public Statements Ring Hollow as Rutgers Workers Lag Behind Rest of State

NEWARK…Rutgers workers have gone the longest without a raise among state workers, despite President Richard McCormick’s public statements that he intends to pay long withheld raises, according to the Rutgers One faculty, staff, student and alumni coalition. “Rutgers management withheld negotiated raises in 2009, asked for and received an agreement from us to defer then withheld the deferred raises again last year,” said Lucye Millerand, President of the Union of Rutgers Administrators-American Federation of Teachers, which represents approximately 2,000 campus workers. The union is a part of the Rutgers One coalition of faculty, staff, students and alumni which generated more than 6,000 signatures calling for affordable tuition and fair treatment of workers, delivered to the university’s Board of Governors meeting today.

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Cancer Society, NTU Team Against Breast Cancer

October 06, 2011

The Newark Teachers Union has recently aligned itself with the American Cancer Society in their fight against cancer. In doing so, they have committed to supporting them in their Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk which is held annually in our city of Newark.

Kean University Faculty, Staff and Students Oppose Campus Outsourcing

September 13, 2011

Threat to quality, safety, campus security and standing in community posed by misguided practice

UNION…A unified campus community is calling on Kean University President Dawood Farahi and the Board of Trustees to stop outsourcing vital campus jobs as part of a good-faith effort to restore the University’s standing in the community, save money and safeguard campus security. “Outsourcing of skilled trades and janitorial services at Kean is simply costing way too much,” said Kean mechanic Steve Pinto, chapter President of the International Federation of Professional, Technical Engineers (IFPTE), local 195, which represents approximately 135 janitors, skilled-trades workers, security officers and campus transportation workers. “Our members are committed to the campus and to Kean so it is a mistake to replace them with outside contractors, who cost more and can do less.”

Kean University Faculty, Staff and Students Oppose Campus Outsourcing

Wilson Avenue School Closure Sign of Neglect Pre-Hurricane Irene

September 07, 2011

Newark Teachers Union calls for restoration of vital Ironbound community school

NEWARK…One child brought a sign that read, “We deserve a healthy, safe environment” before she was bused away from Newark’s Wilson Avenue School. Another little girl cried. As parents brought their elementary and middle-school age children to the first day of school, they found buses shipping off students to the Central Ward or to Belleville. While the Newark Public Schools District office blames Hurricane Irene for the problem, Newark Teachers’ Union President Joseph Del Grosso found the state run district management at fault for mismanaging the situation.

“Mushrooms and mold were growing in the Wilson Avenue School building already,” said Del Grosso. “Hurricane Irene may have acerbated the problems with the facility, but these were pre-existing conditions that the district’s state appointed leadership choose to ignore, while favoring upkeep on buildings co-located with charter schools.” He pointed to lack of upkeep including not repairing holes in external walls and scaffolding that has been holding up a crumbling brick wall for more than seven years. “Lack of routine maintenance made the damage from the storm much worse than it should have been,” said Del Grosso.

Del Grosso also faulted the district for being slow to notify parents of the problem, and renting out-of-district space at St. Anthony’s in Belleville while Newark school buildings stand vacant. Hurricane Irene hit Newark on Sunday, August 28, more than one week before the start of school. “The District had time to be in touch with the community and should have consulted with teachers and parents from Newark before making such an important decision,” said Del Grosso.

AFTNJ Endorses State Legislators in Key Districts

August 25, 2011

Education worker federation of 30,000 endorses candidates who stood up for collective bargaining

EDISON…Endorsing a fewer number of candidates in November’s legislative elections translates into a focus on contributing to key wins and recognizing legislators who stood up for collective bargaining in the June pension and health insurance debate, according to American Federation of Teachers New Jersey (AFTNJ) political education co-chair Jon Erickson. “Our committee recommended a few challengers to threaten Republican incumbents since the GOP voted as a block to limit public workers’ collective bargaining rights,” said Erickson, a Kean University Public Administration Professor. “As per calls from our members, we did not endorse any candidate—Democrat or Republican—who voted in favor of the pension and health insurance benefits legislation euphemistically termed ‘reform,’” he said. “We are asking our members to work with us in defending Democratic legislators in competitive districts in both the House and Senate who have consistently been advocates of workers’ rights.”

The union federation is mobilizing members to knock on doors, make phone calls and have workplace discussions about candidates who actually make a difference, said Erickson’s political education co-chair, Elizabeth Gray, a high school teacher in Garfield. “There is an unfortunately high-level of cynicism among union members these days,” said Gray, who is also an officer with the Bergen County Central Labor Council. “We need to have discussions about legislators who are trying to protect workers’ rights and put people back to work so we can emphasize the importance of voting and getting involved,” she said.

See full list of endorsed candidates.

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Ocean County College Staff Standing Up as Management Fails to Bargain

July 14, 2011

Unfair Labor Practices Charge Filed: 51-member unit passed over for raises executives award themselves

EDISON…The largest higher education union in New Jersey has filed unfair practices charges against Ocean County College (OCC) faulting resistant management there for ignoring an impartially recommended contract settlement while continuing to take raises for themselves. Despite having the highest paid community college president in New Jersey in the $222,200 Jon Larson, OCC management rejected the recommendation of an impartial factfinder that suggested the school grant modest increases in a three-year contract and maintains an inflexible position.

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Classroom and Campus Professionals Call for Public Hearings In Wake of Higher Education Cuts

July 12, 2011

Stakeholder Input Needed Before Considering Kean Task Force Recommendations, Bonding and Mergers
TRENTON…Governor Christie’s last‐minute higher education budget vetoes will force many New Jersey students out of school and limit opportunities for others to start. New Jersey educators have a better plan than increasing college and university tuition while bonding instead of budgeting. A working group of unions representing more than 30,000 public and private higher education faculty and staff are calling for controls on tuition, more public oversight and stakeholder representation on governing boards to improve accountability from executives. These recommendations stand in stark contrast to this year’s Tom Kean‐led Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education, which seeks more unchecked power for university and college Presidents without rallying significant opposition to the continued decline in state support.

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