Christine O'Connell is a URA-AFT steward at Middlesex County Rutgers Cooperative Extension (RCE).  She teaches nutrition to low-income adults and children. In February, she went on  a 3 month union leave to work for her union.  Just days before she was scheduled to return, she was told that her job was "closed".  In three months of leave, she had not been warned of any changes to her job.

Christine (in black, below)  and her son John (in white)  have been featured as the "Face of SEBS". They will graduate together on Monday, May 19.

Then , Chris will be out of work. RCE, SEBS and Rutgers need more effective educators, like her.  Not fewer.  Dedication to her union co-workers should not be a pretext to lay her off.