Resolution in Support of Striking Middletown Township, New Jersey,
Teachers and School Secretaries
WHEREAS, more than 700 members of the New Jersey State Education Association in Middletown Township had been working without a contract since June 30, 2001 in an effort to negotiate a new agreement that would secure a more effective learning environment for children and decent professional conditions for teachers and school secretaries; and,
WHEREAS, the good faith efforts of these NJEA members to reach a negotiated agreement fair to all parties, especially the children of the Middletown Township District, have been rebuffed by the District Administration; and,
WHEREAS, the intransigence and unreasonableness of the District Employer has left the teachers and school secretaries of Middletown Township no recourse other than to declare a strike in order to achieve the conditions necessary for teachers to teach and children to learn; and,
WHEREAS, striking educators are being hauled before judges on an alphabetical basis, individually interrogated, and sent immediately to jail for refusing to break solidarity; and,
WHEREAS, 85 strikers to date, representing educators whose last names begin with A through F, already have been jailed, with more to follow every day; and,
WHEREAS, the members of the Middletown District New Jersey Education Association remain united and unanimous in their commitment to see this just struggle through to its victorious conclusion;
RESOLVED the delegates of the AFL-CIO, its international unions and state and central bodies assembled in Convention pledge their full support to the educators, children and parents of the Middletown School District; and,
RESOLVED that this Convention calls upon the administration of the School District of Middletown, New Jersey immediately to abandon its intimidation tactics and, instead of punishing their teachers, enter into good faith negotia-tions to reach a fair and just settlement on behalf of the teachers and children of the district; and,
RESOLVED that this Convention call for the immediate release from jail of all strikers and a just and speedy resolution to this dispute.