Solidarity Walks Resume Wednesday
Join Us at 12:30pm in front of Cafe Diem

Increments reward hard work, longevity, and loyality! Remind Dr. Cole and Gov. Christie that you've earned your increment. Show them that they are AFT Local 1904's mobilizers-in-chief by wearing an AFT Button, blue shirt, or an AFT t-shirt and/or joining us on the Solidarity Walks every Wednesday at 12:30pm in front of Cafe Diem.

Want a free AFT button, t-shirt, or rain poncho? Contact AFT Local 1904's office (ext. 4453) to make arrangements to get one.
Reminders on Faculty Right of Response

Since it's promotion season for faculty, we'd like to remind you that the personnel action procedures in our contract were originally negotiated in order to protect both faculty right of response and the academic judgment of DPACs and chairs against administrative interference.

A faculty member's right of response to a recommendation at any level (DPAC, chair, dean, Provost) includes the right to:
  1. Meet with that person or group to ask them to correct mistakes and/or to change their recommendation.
  2. To move the application forward past a negative recommendation.
  3. To submit a letter of response to the recommendation, especially to clarify things and to correct mistakes, not to argue with a judgment.
  4. To stop the entire process if procedures have been violated or not followed.
  5. To file a formal grievance up to 14 days after the faculty member becomes aware that there was (a) a violation of procedures, (b) an act of discrimination, or (c) a breach of the candidate's right to academic freedom.
If you are a faculty member, professional staff member, librarian, or specialist and would like assistance in responding to your specific situation (or just want another opinion) please contact AFT Local 1904 Faculty Coordinator Maughn Gregory or Vice President of Personnel Kathy Hughes.
 
4th Annual Student Pizza Party & Care Package Give Away

AFT Local 1904 hosted it's fourth Pizza Party and Care Package Give Away Party on January 14, 2016. Eight-five students received care packages, had some pizza, and learned about the Local's undergraduate scholarship (the Becker Keenen Moore Uhia and Waller Scholarship). The event is enjoyed and appreciated by the students. One of them exclaimed upon receiving her care package, "This is so nice! It's the first time since I've been here that someone has given me something." Many thanks to Community Outreach Committee Chair, Alex Sperling, for coordinating this event.


Professional Staff Members Unite

On December 16, 2015, over 100 Professional Staff members attended the Local's Annual Professional Staff luncheon and learned how they can help the Local's leadership with acts of Solidarity. To find out how you can become more involved, contact Susan Hagen or Jennifer Higgins.

Sick Time FAQs
      
Did you know that the University monitors sick time use? According to the policy posted in the employee handbook, in the "
Authorization for Sick Leave Use" the University monitors whether or not an employee has used more than 15 days of sick time in any given 12-month period. This is true, even if you have leftover sick time from previous years.

That is why, when you or a family member has a chronic or long-term illness (or a short term illness that may cause you to charge more than 15 days in one twelve month period), it is extremely important that you submit to the Benefits Office in College Hall 314B a doctors note. If you submit a doctor's note, the University views the absence as excused. If you do not, you may find yourself in a position of being accused of sick time abuse. When/if this happens, you may be issued an HR scripted letter from your supervisor informing you that you must substantiate some portion your past sick absences or you will be required to provide a doctor's note for all future sick time charged for an undetermined period of time. [read more]
Copyright & Intellectual Property?
The Local has received a number of questions on Copyrights, Intellectual Property and Patents recently. There are a number of agreements in place covering these including Article XXXIII of the Master Agreement which we think it very powerful language protecting your rights. Additionally there is a local agreement covering Patents that if you are even thinking remotely that it may cover you, you should read it and be familiar with its protections and provisions. Council has compiled a document titled Copyright-When It's Yours which deals with most of your questions and delineates the boundaries between your personal work and work you do as part of your regular duties and scholarship. [download the full document]
In Other News

How NJ college presidents are divided on community college bachelor's degrees [Philly.com]

Mandatory Union Fees Getting a Hard Look by the Supreme Court [NewYorkTimes.com]

Supreme Court Weighs Changes That Would Hurt Public Unions' Bottom Lines
[NPR.org]

Doctors Unionize to Resist the Medical Machine [NewYorkTimes.com]

How Measurement Fails Doctors and Teachers [NewYorkTimes.com]

The Truth About NJ's Pension Crisis and How to Fix It [NJ.com]

Let voters decide whether N.J. should fulfill its pension obligation



Current Events and Topics of Interest

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January 2016
Wolfson
Richard Wolfson, President
President's Corner


As we start the semester, it looks nothing like what we would expect for the weather this time of year (although as I write this on Sunday, there are some flurries). But let's not let the current conditions fool us. There will be a winter and there will be snow. The administration once again reiterated that they have all intentions of keeping school open no matter what the conditions short of a declared state of emergency. The Local will continue to press that if school is open the walkways need to be safe and the parking lots clear. Only you can ascertain if the conditions are safe for you to come from wherever you live. Please take some time this week to make sure the communication links to your students and colleagues are updated and your cars have the necessary scrapers and equipment to make inclement travel safe. As surely the snow will come.
 
In the spirit of this extended holiday season I want to remind you that our community is large and there are always those in need. This year the administration, specifically President Cole, extended the Donated Leave Program to faculty so it now covers all of us. It is important to note that she did not have to do this and did it as it was simply the right thing to do. The details of the program are here and the Donated Leave Form here. I am pointing this out as there are a number of members who have exhausted their accumulated sick days, are suffering from a catastrophic health condition or injury and can use the donated days to recover and still receive their pay and benefits.
 
If you look at the email that HR sent last week it lists your Accrued Sick Leave in hours. There are 7 hours in a day and there are 218 work days for 10 month employees and 262 work days for those of you on 12 month contracts. Many of us have multiple years of accumulated leave and although Professional Staff receive a payout of up to $1500 when they retire, there is no payout for Faculty. What better use for those days than to donate them to someone in need? And before you ask there is no "list" of those that need these days so if you are interested you can ask your Dean or send me a private email and I let you know who currently can use some days. And if you know of someone who can use the days, let me know that too so I can pass the word. It's simply the right thing to do.
 
As we start a new semester I am hoping for new beginnings and your elected officers and I will work to resolve both old and new issues as we wait for spring and the good weather to arrive.
 
In solidarity, 
Wolfson First Name Signature      
Rich Wolfson 
President, AFT Local 1904   
Mark Your Calendars
AFT Local 1904 Events
 
Solidarity Walk Every Wednesday 
12:30-1:00pm
Rain or Shine. Meet us in front of Cafe Diem. Wear blue.

Montclair State University Board of Trustees Meeting 
Feburary 4, 2016
10:00am
University Hall Conference Center 
 
General Union Meeting
February 10, 2016 
2:30-4:00 pm
Student Center 419
Refreshments served

BKMUW Scholarship Deadline 
March 2, 2016 4:30pm EST
[learn more]

Professional Staff Reclassification Workshop 
March 17, 2016 12:00-1:30pm
Location: TBA 
 
AFTNJ
AFT Local 1904 is affiliated with American Federation of Teachers New Jersey(AFTNJ), which is the state federation of AFT locals in New Jersey. AFTNJ represents 30,000 Pre-Kindergarten to grade 12 and higher education workers throughout the state.

Want to know more about AFTNJ? Sign up for their news feed by clicking here

Have a news item? 
Send it to vanessa.domine at aftlocal1904.org

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AFT Local 1904 | AFT Local 1904 | Montclair State University | 314A College Hall | Montclair | NJ | 07043