American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO

Month: November 2016

Weingarten speaks at a press conference calling on President-elect Donald Trump to denounce the hate-fueled acts occurring in the wake of his election. Photo by Michael C. Campbell.
AFT NewsAFTNJ NewsNewsPolitical Education
nbender

Time for Trump to Stop the Hate

After a bitter campaign, and an election in which Donald Trump won the electoral vote but Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, our nation remains deeply divided. And the division seems to be worsening: In the 10 days since the election, the hateful rhetoric of the campaign has spread and even turned violent.

In his victory speech and during his “60 Minutes” interview, Trump urged Americans to come together as one united people to take on the challenges before us.…

Read More
Sweeney, Prieto, Christie
AFTNJ News
nbender

Donna M. Chiera on State Legislature Passing Quarterly Pension Payments Bill

Guaranteed quarterly payments save money on interest and make sense for the state while starting to pay down the pension system unfunded liability. We need smart fiscal policies like this to rebuild the state’s credit rating. Along with the recent decision to reduce risky hedge fund allocations, this move would start to help stabilize the state’s pension system and overall economy so we call on the Governor to sign it into law.…

Read More
Newark Students
AFT NewsAFTNJ NewsMediaNewark Teachers UnionPre-K to 12 NewsPress releasesTenure
nbender

AFT, AFT New Jersey, Newark Teachers Union File to Intervene in Legal Challenge of State Education Statue Protecting Experienced Teachers

NEWARK, N.J.—Today, the Newark Teachers Union, AFT New Jersey and the American Federation of Teachers filed a motion seeking to intervene in a complaint filed by the Partnership for Educational Justice challenging New Jersey’s law that aims to protect experienced teachers.

As the filing makes clear, the state education commissioner, the attorney general and the superintendent of Newark Public Schools have made public appeals supporting the plaintiffs in this case.…

Read More
apple
College Council ContractHigher Ed NewsLabor NewsMediaPress Clips
nbender

Princeton grad workers vote to join AFT

By Stephon Johnson

Graduate workers at Princeton University have followed the lead of their University of Chicago and Cornell University peers.

Last week, members of Princeton Graduate Students United voted to join the American Federation of Teachers and its state affiliate, AFT New Jersey, after the recent National Labor Relations Board decision to classify private colleges’ graduate teaching and research assistants as workers.…

Read More
John Abeigon Newark Teachers Union
MediaNewark Teachers UnionPre-K to 12 NewsPress ClipsTeacher EvaluationTenure
nbender

New York Education ‘Reform’ Group Challenges New Jersey Teacher Seniority

The head of Newark’s teachers’ union says the law is in place specifically to protect educators in politically charged districts like Newark from outside groups forcing their hand.

“These cases make millions of dollars for the law firms that defend them and the goal ultimately is to make millions of dollars for the corporate charter schools that they invest in,” said Newark Teachers Union President John Abeigon.…

Read More
Yovnello Social Justice Scholarship Winners
AFTNJ NewsHigher Ed NewsIn ActionStudent debtVideosYovnello
nbender

Nick Yovnello Social Justice Scholarship Winners: Students Confront Campus Rape Culture, Anti-LGBTQ and Anti-Muslim Bias

Scholarship winners Amanda Gonzalez and Maryam Sarhan tell the stories of their activism. Amanda, Maryam and Kelsea Rowan were honored as recipients of Nick Yovnello Social Justice Scholarships for confronting campus rape culture, anti-Muslim bias and promoting acceptance of LGBTQ students and organizations.

…

Read More
Photo by Ramya Chitibomma | Governor Chris Christie (R.-N.J.) proposed a $2.565 million cut to the Educational Opportunity Fund when he proposed the state budget in March, but the final budget actually added $1 million to the program, bringing it to a total of about $42 million.
AFTNJ NewsHigher Ed NewsMediaNewsPolitical EducationPress ClipsStudent debt
nbender

EOF program sees extra million after state budget is passed

By Manuel Silva-Paulus

The Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program has reversed cuts to the program proposed by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R-N.J.) and has received an additional one million dollars in funding.

After the increase was approved, the funds were frozen and not made available until Sept. 20 due to Executive Order 209 signed by Christie, said Michelle Shostack, assistant dean and director of the School of Arts Sciences EOF program.…

Read More
Credit: James Yang
AFTNJ NewsHigher Ed NewsMediaPress ClipsStudent debt
nbender

Those Hidden College Fees

By Rochelle Sharpe

[…]

So where does all this money go?

At Rutgers, the local teachers union got hold of budget records detailing what happened in recent years with the university’s $170 dance appreciation course fee.

The fee was supposed to help defray the costs of visiting artists and performance tickets, but one year $125,685 went toward building renovations, and another year $399,000 was used to buy and improve equipment.…

Read More