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AFT Union Leaders Attend Legislative Events in Support of Higher Ed

Posted on October 30, 2025 by Tom Nemeth

AFT National President Randi Weingarten, AFTNJ President Jennifer Higgins, CNJSCL President Emari DiGiorgio, AFT Local 1796 President Susanna Tardi, and other union leaders have recently attended events in support of statewide representatives who support higher education.

Union leaders attend private fundraiser for NJ Gubernatorial nominee Mikie Sherrill

AFT Local President Sue Tardi attends AFL-CIO Conference honoring Congresswoman Nellie Pou

AFT Local 1796 leaders participate in the AFTNJ Conference to listen to Gubernatorial Primary candidates’ positions on key concerns in NJ.

William Paterson University students join AFT Local 1796 leaders in an AFTNJ Solidarity Action.

Bottom left: AFT Local 1796 President Tardi attends Senator Pou’s NJ swearing-in as Congresswoman. Bottom right: CNJSCL staff representative Anthony Giardullo and Local 1796 President Sue Tardi attend cocktail reception in support of Senator Nellie Pou.

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Members of AFT Local 1796 Attend Legislative Breakfast

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Tom Nemeth

On October 22, 2025, members of AFT Local 1796 attended the first-ever Legislative Breakfast for northern New Jersey. The event brought together AFT members from William Paterson University, Montclair State University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Kean University, and New Jersey City University, along with approximately ten state legislators, including key leaders from the Assembly and Senate higher education committees.

Students shared first-hand experiences of the challenges they face in pursuing a college education in New Jersey, while union leaders advocated for sustained legislative support for higher education in our state.

With upcoming elections, proposed legislation for a statewide higher education task force, a merger between two public universities in northern New Jersey, federal positions on First Amendment rights on college campuses, cuts to federally funded research, and other national debates, events like this provide a vital opportunity to share our vision for higher education with state lawmakers.

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AFT Local 1796 Attends Labor Walk in Support of Mikie Sherrill for Governor

Posted on September 27, 2025 by Tom Nemeth

Members of AFT Local 1796 participated in the Labor Walk at the Bergen CLC on September 27, 2025, in support of Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill’s campaign for NJ Governor. Electing the right Governor is crucial for higher education and working families across our state. Labor walks give us the opportunity to educate and motivate members to be active participants in our democracy. As union members know, elections have consequences. Now is the time to invest in the future of our labor movement and maximize participation in the remaining labor walks before Election Day.

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Agreement Reached Regarding Assigned Release Time

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Tom Nemeth

Assigned Release Time Program Agreement

After a long hiatus, AFT Local 1796 has reached an Agreement with WP Administration regarding Assigned Release Time (ART). We have posted it to the Faculty section of our Documents webpage, and it is linked above. The ART Program, which will resume in 2026, with applications to be submitted in 2025, aims to support tenured and tenure-track faculty members in their research, scholarship, and creative endeavors by providing them with release time from teaching duties. The 2025-2026 WP Budget will determine program funding, and the Faculty Senate will deliberate its criteria.

Please read the Agreement for a complete breakdown of the negotiated terms of this program.

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Student Scholarships 2025-2026

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Tom Nemeth

We have updated our Scholarships page with information on the scholarships we are offering three students for the 2025-2026 academic year. The deadline is April 25, 2025, so please encourage them to apply today!