Home | William Paterson University AFT Local 1796 | American Federation of Teachers

Agreements Signed for Faculty Range Adjustment and Department Chairperson Compensation

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Tom Nemeth

AFT Local 1796 has reached an agreement with William Paterson University administration outlining the guidelines, criteria, and procedures for full-time faculty members to apply for range adjustments within their rank. Eligible faculty must meet merit-based criteria in teaching, research, and service, and have completed at least four years in their current rank. The agreement details the application process, review by departmental and university committees, and final approval by the university president and Board of Trustees. This program aims to ensure fair and equitable consideration for faculty seeking salary adjustments based on their professional achievements.

Department Chairperson Compensation Agreement

AFT Local 1796 has also reached an agreement with William Paterson University administration establishing a formula-based system for determining the academic year compensation of department chairs. The compensation is calculated using student credit hours, full-time faculty equivalents, and total student headcount, with specific weights assigned to each category. In addition, the agreement outlines the minimum and maximum compensation limits, the process for annual calculation and review, and provisions for the creation of assistant chair positions. This agreement aims to ensure fair and equitable compensation for department chairs based on measurable criteria.

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Update on Salary Increases and Overload Compensation

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Tom Nemeth

William Paterson’s Human Resources department has issued the following memo to clarify when members can expect to see their salary increases for the new fiscal year and adjustments to overload compensation.

AFTContractualPaymentsFY24-25

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Local 1796 Attends AFTNJ 2024 Convention and Legislative Conference

Posted on April 27, 2024 by Tom Nemeth

Members of AFT Local 1796’s leadership team attended the AFTNJ Convention and Legislative Conference on April 27, 2024, where Sue Tardi ran uncontested in her bid to remain AFTNJ’s Executive Vice President, Higher Education, a seat she has held since 2011. Congratulations, Sue!

L to R: Vince Vicari, Cindy Simon, Tom Nemeth, Sue Tardi, Terry Finnegan

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Local 1796 Wins Significant PERC Case

Posted on April 15, 2024 by Tom Nemeth

Our Local’s grievances team has achieved a significant victory in a PERC case related to the recent layoffs at William Paterson. Sue Tardi, Chriss Williams, and Giuliana Andreopoulos requested information from Allison Boucher-Jarvis, V.P. for Human Resources, regarding all internal communications involving discussions of the layoffs. They were informed that no such information existed. The team then contacted CNJSCL President Tim Haresign and Staff Representatives Bruce Howard and Anthony Giardullo, requesting that the issue be brought to Council attorney Kevin McGovern. Another request was made to VP Boucher-Jarvis, who then stated that the information was “privileged.” Attorney McGovern filed a PERC case, and after months of postponements, the case was heard and resolved in favor of the Union. Upon reviewing the documents, the PERC Hearing Officer determined that the documents were not privileged and had to be provided to the Union.

Read the Hearing Examiner’s filing

This victory is not only significant for Union leadership but is also crucial for the victims of the layoffs awaiting arbitration, as well as for our members and the principles of unionism as a whole!

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Members Overwhelmingly Ratify ’23-’27 Contract

Posted on December 18, 2023 by Tom Nemeth

After a prolonged period of hard-fought negotiations and successful voting outreach, our members overwhelmingly voted in favor of the proposed 2023-2027 Agreements with the state of New Jersey. The ’23-’27 FT/PT Employee MOA and ’23-’27 Adjunct Faculty MOA are now available on our Documents page, along with the associated ’23-’27 FT/PT Salary Charts.

Among William Paterson AFT members who voted, 96.9% of FT/PT members voted in favor of ratification, as did a whopping 100% of Adjunct Faculty! Combined, 97.7% of WPU voters were in favor. Statewide, 98.48% of FT/PT AFT members voted in favor of ratification, as did 96.87% of adjuncts.

The unmistakably positive voting results speak to the strength of the negotiated gains in the Contract, which Council summarized at the beginning of the Agreements linked above. The negotiating team worked tirelessly throughout 2023 to secure a Contract that not only recognizes the dedication and hard work of our union members but also addresses the evolving needs and challenges within the higher education landscape. The Contract is a result of extensive discussions and compromises to ensure that it reflects the best interests of our diverse membership.

AFT leadership is proud of this excellent Contract and is grateful for members’ continued support of our union. We could only achieve these gains through members’ collective strength, dedication, and resolve.

Turning the page on 2023, our Local’s leadership team wishes all members a peaceful, joyful, and restful holiday season as we look forward to making further labor progress in the new year.