URA legislative chair Helen Pirrello's advocacy for the Silver Alert legislation which is creating a response system for people with cognitive disorders like Alzheimers who often go missing is noted in a brief article in AFT's "On Campus" higher education publication. President Lucye Millerand calls the potentially lifesaving system a tribute to Pirrello's activism.

By The Associated Press
February 26, 2010, 2:47PM

Patti Sapone/The Star Ledger Cars covered with snow on a residential street in New Brunswick.NEW BRUNSWICK — February 2010 marks the most snow ever to fall in New Brunswick in one month.

That's just the latest New Jersey record to be broken in this winter of seemingly endless snow.

Good Jobs Now (http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/DdABxDs1FQS9/), a
new interactive Web site from the AFL-CIO, gives workers, people who have lost their jobs and activists a chance to take action, share their stories, find resources and, most important, be part of a grass-roots movement to help the nation climb out of its 10 million-jobs hole created by the recession. [Read more at http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/J7ABxDs1FQS8/.]

The American Federation of Government Employees has filed a
petition with the Federal Labor Relations Authority to be the
exclusive representative for 40,000-plus transportation security officers. The TSOs are the Transportation Security
Administration employees who work hard to keep safe the more
than 600 million people who fly each year. In 2003, the Bush
administration stripped the workers of collective bargaining
rights, and AFGE has been fighting ever since to regain those
rights.

According to Charlie Wowkanech, President, NJ AFL-CIO, "[C]orporations have received four unemployment tax cuts since 1998, with savings to corporations ranging from $250 million to $450 million per year. Additional steps have been taken recently on behalf of employers, including diverting $300 million from the general fund to the unemployment insurance fund to delay an employer tax increase.

N.J. labor unions lawsuit claims Gov. Chris Christie's 'pay to play' restrictions violates First Amendment
By Peggy Ackermann/Statehouse Bureau
February 24, 2010, 7:47PM

TRENTON — Four labor unions sued Gov. Chris Christie today, saying he illegally extended state "pay to play" restrictions to them in an executive order he signed last month.

Calling the governor’s order "completely illegal," Hetty Rosenstein, state director for the Communications Workers of America, said it violates the state constitution’s separation of powers provision, the federal constitution’s equal protection guarantees and union members’ First Amendment rights.

"The governor cannot just issue a piece of paper and have it change the law," Rosenstein said. "The Legislature gets to legislate, not the governor."

In addition to the CWA, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Employees-Local 195 and the American Federation of Teachers are asking the state Appellate Division to stay the order.

We want to hear from you! Visit the new AFT Voices at http://www.aft.org/voices/submitcomment.cfm?qid=22 to share your opinion by answering our the following survey question:

What's being privatized on your campus? Bookstore? Cafeteria? Instruction? Tell us your concerns.

In the event of a severe winter storm, the university routinely cancels classes and yet keeps offices open, requiring staff to report to work. Canceling classes is the right decision because it keeps faculty and students safe and off the roads. Why is this same protection not extended to staff? Why are our lives and personal safety put at risk when other groups are protected?

88 College Ave. Center for Historical Analysis. Basement classroom.

Christie slashes $18.5M from University funding
Greg Flynn, Wednesday, February 17, 2010
[...]
URA-AFT members support the programs that deliver hundreds of millions of dollars to the University from external grants to conduct research, Bender said.
“Please keep in mind, when we are talking about unionized staff and faculty, these are the people who make the University work — from the faculty delivering quality education to staff providing comprehensive services necessary to support the University’s mission,” he said.
Bender said the University community should make the case for quality public education in New Jersey and at the University.
“Students, faculty and staff at the University need to let the governor and Trenton know that we want to see increased support for higher education,” he said.

With a fiscal state of emergency declaration from a hostile Governor and a series of so-called pension “reform” bills rapidly moving through the Democratically-controlled NJ Senate, public workers are facing a tough time in Trenton. This could mean increased health insurance contributions and diminished pension benefits for URA-AFT members.

URA-AFT New Brunswick Campus vice president Kathryn Neal has asked University Human Resources (UHR) for an explanation of why offices on the New Brunswick campus remained open Wednesday while Newark and Camden campuses were completed closed. “The National Weather Service issued a blizzard condition warning for New Jersey and Governor Christie authorized the closure of all state offices,” Neal noted.

By Sharon Adarlo/The Star-Ledger
February 10, 2010, 7:36PM

ESSEX -- The union representing Essex County workers filed a grievance against county officials because they did not shutdown offices and give employees a day off because of the treacherous snow storm, a union official said.

"The conditions are so bad that both employees and the public can’t get to work," said David Weiner, president of the CWA Local 1081, the union representing county workers. "Why couldn’t the county government be shut down. So little could have been gotten done anyway. It puts our members and pubic at risk."

A. For a day or days when the University is officially declared as “Closed” by the President or appropriate Vice-President, employees shall not be required to charge vacation days, administrative leave, or personal holidays to avoid loss of pay.

B. In addition, on any day or days in which all classes are cancelled on a particular campus (Camden, Newark, or New Brunswick) by the appropriate Vice-President or Provost due to a weather or other emergency situation, the following will apply regarding attendance:

URA members who regularly use their State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) prescription plan are upset about changes implemented by Medco, the new contractor administering the plan.

These concerns came to light at the January 11 general membership meeting. Now, URA is working with the Public Employees Committee of the New Jersey AFL-CIO to demand a complete accounting of the changes from SHPB officials and Medco itself.

Kay Schechter

Kay Schechter sees many potential problems. Schechter is a College Avenue steward whose family of five relies on her prescription coverage. “Depending on the drug, the differences can be very serious” she said. Schechter said that generics, such as those for attention deficit disorder, are not always as precise, and they may work or not, possibly leaving children “bouncing off the wall.” She asked what happens if the antibiotic that works for you is not covered. “If a doctor gives you x and then y and then z, you can be sick for a month and near pneumonia before you find another effective treatment.”