Kean Trustees Lock Out Students Calling For Reversals of Retaliatory Firings

Students, faculty, and staff calling for the reappointment of skilled lecturers and professional staff were illegally locked out of Monday night’s Kean Board of Trustees meeting, according to Kean Federation of Teachers president James Castiglione. While hundreds of students, faculty and staff were joined by a State Senator and the Assembly Higher Education Committee Chair rallying outside against the firings, Kean managers filled all the seats and security refused to allow students into the meeting.…

Read more

Bargaining for the Common Good Rally

American Federation of Teachers​ EVP Mary Cathryn Ricker​ and Rutgers AAUP-AFT​ Pres Deepa Kumar​ talk to students at Rutgers University​ about union principles and values with Rutgers United Students Against Sweatshops Local 109​ calling for a #FightFor15. Kick off to #ItsAboutFreedom Day of Action for Collective Bargaining AFL-CIO​ #1u #Unrigthesystem #solidarity…

Read more

Report Back From the Women’s March

Two AFT New Jersey locals sponsored Saturday’s Women’s March on New Jersey which seeks to “harness the political power of diverse women and their communities to create transformative social change by providing a safe and accepting platform for supporters to rally and march in promotion of civil rights for every human regardless of gender, race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability, religion, or creed.”…

Read more

‘Why’ We Teach and ‘How’ To Reach Students: Peer-led Sessions Engage Educators

Teachers from the Garfield, Newark, North Bergen and Perth Amboy districts in New Jersey met with their peers from classrooms in Ohio, Texas and AFT national staff trainers to discuss current topics in education Nov. 9 and 10 in Woodbridge. Approximately 50 teachers attended the sessions, which included sessions on managing classroom behavior, early childhood education and strategies for working with English language learners.…

Read more

Middlesex County Freeholder Director Ron Rios on Union-Busting Law Firm Jackson Lewis

“I may not agree with who they choose as a law firm, but I don’t have the vote there as to who they can hire and fire as a law firm,” said Ron Rios, Middlesex County Freeholder Director, when questioned about Middlesex County College engaging notorious union-busting law firm Jackson Lewis to handle contract negotiations with the faculty.…

Read more

‘Why Is Middlesex County Health Insurance So Expensive?’ Ask County College Faculty

County run program charges up to 40% more than comparable state plans

EDISON…Based on rates published by the Middlesex County Joint Health Insurance Fund (JHIF), family care with prescription costs up to $50,000 per year, while comparable plans offered by the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) cost approximately $30,000, according to Charles Dolan, Middlesex County College Technical Services Librarian, a member of the local American Federation of Teachers chapter.…

Read more

With local control, new hope in Newark schools

After 22 years of failed, state-imposed “education reform,” the Newark, N.J., community finally has local control of their schools. “We make the decisions in our house,” said Newark Mayor Ras Baraka at a City Hall event celebrating the return of democratic process to Newark public education in 2017-18. “We don’t need anybody to run us, to govern us, to tell us what to do.”…

Read more