Faculty Rally In Middlesex College As They Await Contract Negotiations

EDISON, NJ – The Middlesex College American Federation of Teachers held a rally on Thursday as contract negotiations with the administration stall.

The full-time faculty's contract expired on July 1, 2020.

The rally was held at the Edison campus. New Jersey State AFL-CIO President Charles Wowkanech joined the faculty in the rally. More: Faculty Rally To Get New Contract At Middlesex College

"Middlesex County College administration's refusal to negotiate in good faith with the full-time faculty is shameful,” Wowkanech said. “The administration's unacceptable offer of a 0% raise in the first year of the contract is an insult to the faculty, who work hard to provide affordable higher education to our students.”

Wowkanech said the faculty is going on three academic years without a new contract and they need the money as inflation stretches the budgets of working families.

He urged the administration to “come back to the negotiating table with a real offer.”

AFT NJ President Donna M. Chiera said this is the second time in recent memory that Middlesex College has taken more than two years to negotiate a contract

“In a county and in a state where educators are hailed as heroes and our legislators claim to be pro-union, their words do not show up in their actions,” Chiera said. “We are rallying to demand that legislators and college management demonstrate they respect the voice of labor and the voice of professionals by negotiating in good faith with Local 1940.”

Here are some photos from the rally (Courtesy of: New Jersey State AFL-CIO)

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