NEW BRUNSWICK – Two Rutgers University unions representing more than 9,000 faculty, graduate workers, postdocs, and counselors announced that they are endorsing Representative Mikie Sherrill for governor of New Jersey because of their shared commitment to defending academic freedom and supporting investment in New Jersey’s public higher education institutions.
The elected Executive Council of the Rutgers AAUP-AFT, representing full-time faculty, grad workers, postdocs, counselors, and fellows, voted to endorse Sherrill on October 7. A week later, rank-and-file members of the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union voted in a member referendum to endorse Sherrill. As the endorsement statement drafted by the Joint Legislative Committee of the two unions states: “While we continue to stand against [the Trump administration’s] unconstitutional acts at the federal level, we must at the same time look to our state to offer additional defense for ourselves and our communities.”
“We trust that Mikie Sherrill will be a powerful voice for higher education and labor issues in the state of New Jersey,” said Heather Pierce, president of the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union. “She has also pledged her support on other key issues, such as defending the rights of all residents, regardless of citizenship status, and protecting reproductive rights and the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Jack Ciattarelli has made it clear, on the other hand, that he will faithfully carry out the MAGA agenda if elected.”
Rebecca Givan, president of Rutgers AAUP-AFT, said union members were mobilizing across New Jersey to talk to voters about why voting for Mikie Sherrill in this gubernatorial election matters to the future of Rutgers. “We have had productive conversations with Representative Sherrill on the issues that matter to our members,” Givan said. “I am confident that with Sherrill in office, we will be able to defend against Trump’s attacks on research, science, and academic freedom.”
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