The American Federation of Teachers New Jersey (AFTNJ) is the is the New Jersey state-level affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), a member union of the AFL-CIO. ¹

It represents 30,000 teachers and other education professionals in K-12 and higher education in New Jersey. ² AFTNJ is the second-largest union of education professionals in New Jersey, behind the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA). ³

Overview

The American Federation of Teachers New Jersey is closely tied to the Democratic Party at the state and national level, supporting its candidates and policy positions. It also takes broadly left-of-center positions on topics such as environmental policy, gun control, and racial issues. ⁴

The president of AFTNJ is Jennifer Higgins, who succeeded longtime president Donna M. Chiera in 2024. ⁵

Opposition to Charter Schools

The American Federation of Teachers New Jersey opposes public charter schools and has played a significant role in blocking the expansion of charter schools in New Jersey. ⁶ As of 2024, New Jersey had 86 charter schools serving roughly 63,000 students, with 29,000 students on waitlists for future charter school openings. ⁷

In 2021, the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey endorsed and donated $2,000 to the successful reelection campaign of Governor Phil Murphy (D). ⁸

During his original 2017 campaign, Murphy had promoted a “pause” in state approvals for new or expanded charter schools. ⁹ Murphy appointed then-AFTNJ president Donna Chiera as co-chair of his transition team’s education committee, which produced a report recommending such a pause. ¹⁰ Murphy followed through in his first term, rejecting charter school expansion applications even from some of the most highly-rated charter schools in the nation. ^{9 6 11}

However, Murphy’s stance on charter schools was broadly unpopular in New Jersey, especially in cities such as Newark with poorly performing public school districts. ⁶ He reversed course on charter schools after his reelection, approving 78 percent of applications in 2023. ⁶

2023 Rutgers Strike

In 2023, three American Federation of Teachers New Jersey local unions representing professors and other professionals at Rutgers University went on strike over wages, benefits, and other issues. ¹² The five-day strike was the first faculty strike in the history of the university, which was founded in 1766. ¹²

The eventual contract agreement reached between the university and the unions resulted in significant compensation increases, including a 44 percent raise over four years for part-time adjunct faculty. ¹³ It is estimated to potentially cost the university $184 million over four years. ¹³

In 2024, Governor Phil Murphy (D) and the state legislature agreed to add an additional $25 million to Rutgers’ state funding that year to offset the increased costs from the AFTNJ union contracts. ¹³

In 2024, a Rutgers student sued the AFTNJ unions, AFTJ, the American Federation of Teachers, the New Jersey AFL-CIO, and the American Association of University Professors on behalf of his fellow students, arguing that the strike violated New Jersey’s law against public employee strikes and had unlawfully deprived him and other students of education services for which they had paid. ^{14 15}

Protection of Seniority System

In 2017, the American Federation of Teachers New Jersey opposed an unsuccessful lawsuit by parents of K-12 schoolchildren in Newark that attempted to overturn the state’s “last in, first out” practice of laying off teachers solely by seniority. ^{16 17} The policy was opposed by the Newark school district superintendent, who supported changing it in favor of one that prioritized teacher effectiveness. ¹⁶

The parents argued that by focusing solely on seniority rather than other factors such as skill, demand for their specialty, or disciplinary record, the Newark school system was violating the state constitution’s guarantee of a “thorough and efficient” education. ¹⁸

1. “Home.” American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO. Accessed March 2, 2025. https://aftnj.org/.
2. “About.” American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO. Accessed March 2, 2025. https://aftnj.org/about-aftnj/.
3.  “Home.” New Jersey Education Association, February 28, 2025. https://www.njea.org/.
4. “Blog.” American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO. Accessed March 2, 2025. https://aftnj.org/blog/.
5. “Jennifer S. Higgins: American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO.” American Federation of Teachers New Jersey, AFL-CIO, 2024. https://aftnj.org/about-aftnj/leadership/executive-officers/jennifer-higgins/.
6. Moran, Tom. “The Real Reasons Murphy Flipped on Charter Schools: Moran.” NJ Advance Media, February 5, 2023. https://www.nj.com/opinion/2023/02/the-real-reasons-murphy-flipped-on-charter-schools-moran.html.
7. Gross, Hannah. “Charter School Reforms under Consideration.” NJ Spotlight News, December 17, 2024. https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2024/12/charter-school-reforms-under-consideration.
8.  “Search Results for American Federation of Teachers New Jersey.” OpenSecrets. Accessed March 2, 2025. https://www.opensecrets.org/search?q=AMERICAN+FEDERATION+OF+TEACHERS+new+jersey&type=donors.
9. Clark, Adam. “Is This the Charter School ‘Time Out’ Murphy Promised?” NJ Advance Media, March 11, 2018. https://www.nj.com/education/2018/03/nj_charter_school_review_pause_on_expansions.html.
10. “Report of the Education, Access, and Opportunity Transition Advisory Committee.” State of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, January 1, 2018. https://nj.gov/governor/news/reports/docs/Education%20Transition%20Report.pdf.
11. Hanna, Maddie. “In N.J., New Administration Giving ‘pause’ to Charter Schools.” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 10, 2018. https://www.inquirer.com/philly/education/in-n-j-new-administration-giving-pause-to-charter-schools-20180205.html.
12. Livio, Susan K. “Why Is Rutgers on Strike? Here’s What the Union Says It Is Asking, and What Rutgers Is Offering.” NJ Advance Media, April 11, 2023. https://www.nj.com/rutgers/2023/04/why-is-rutgers-on-strike-heres-what-the-union-says-it-is-asking-and-what-rutgers-is-offering.html.
13. Johnson, Brent. “Here’s How Much the Deal That Ended Rutgers Faculty Strike Cost (and What Murphy Added in State Aid).” NJ Advance Media, February 23, 2024. https://www.nj.com/politics/2023/07/heres-how-much-the-deal-that-ended-rutgers-faculty-strike-cost-and-what-murphy-added-in-state-aid.html.
14. Browne, Austin. “Rutgers Teachers’ Unions Hit with $150 Million Lawsuit over ‘illegal’ Strike.” Campus Reform, April 25, 2024. https://www.campusreform.org/article/rutgers-teachers-unions-hit-150-million-lawsuit-illegal-strike/25128.
15. Strunsky, Steve. “Rutgers Student Sues Professors’ Unions for Striking Last Spring.” NJ Advance Media, March 18, 2024. https://www.nj.com/middlesex/2024/03/rutgers-student-sues-professors-unions-for-striking-last-spring.html.
16. Yi, Karen. “N.J. Teachers Layoffs Must Be Based on Seniority, Not Performance, Judge Rules.” NJ Advance Media, May 4, 2017. https://www.nj.com/essex/2017/05/judge_dismisses_last_in_first_out.html.
17. “Aft, AFT New Jersey, Newark Teachers Union File to Intervene in Legal Challenge of State Education Statue Protecting Experienced Teachers.” North Bergen Federation of Teachers, November 17, 2016. https://www.nbft.org/news/aft-aft-new-jersey-newark-teachers-union-file-to-intervene-in-legal-challenge-of-state-education-statue-protecting-experienced-teachers.
18. Clark, Adam. “N.J. Parents Expected to File Suit over State’s Teacher Layoff Rules.” NJ Advance Media, November 1, 2016. https://www.nj.com/education/2016/11/nj_parents_to_sue_state_district_officials_over_te.html.