Demonstrating the increased presence of AFT in New Jersey, Nicholas Yovnello, president of the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, was selected to serve on the transition team of the new Democratic governor of New Jersey, James E. McGreevey. Yovnello says the experience is quite positive and valuable, "We met the new players in the governor’s office--top staff and cabinet--and were able to establish a rapport with them, and we were also able to judge how approachable they would be for future conversations." In addition, he says, "There was immediate feedback from the governor’s people on some concerns raised by the transition team reports."

After McGreevey’s election, approximately 500 state leaders and subject experts were chosen for his transition team. In December 2001, the governor-elect met with his team and presented an overview of the state's current issues and economic picture. His charge to the group was to provide an assessment, recommendations for expansion or contraction of services, and a review of the economy of operations and specific state functions.

Team members were assigned to small study groups based on their areas of expertise. Yovnello was placed in the higher education group and the labor and commerce group, he met with each study team a full day. The final step was for team chairs and members to meet and finalize their transition report for submission to the governor-elect. "The governor’s transition staff promised attention to the reports within 60 days of McGreevey taking office, and that was realized for some, while other issues were delayed due to the New Jersey budget crisis," says Yovnello.

Yovnello says that the coordinated effort of the Council of New Jersey State College Locals, the AFT state federations, AFT national, and the New Jersey State AFL-CIO to elect McGreevey, who is sympathetic to the issues and concerns of working families, was a massive undertaking. Within the council, a record amount of money was raised--more phone banks were staffed than any other election, and every local made a tremendous effort to get out the vote. "The effort was unprecedented," says Yovnello. McGreevey won the race by 300,000 votes and sent 29 more union members to public office around New Jersey. (posted 3/18/02)