Candidates for First Vice President:
Justine Guardiola * :
To My Fellow 9th JD Union Members,
It has been an honor to serve as your 1st Vice President of the 9th Judicial District Union since 2023. I have proudly worked as a Senior Court Clerk for the past seven years and am currently based in the MLK building.
Representing you in negotiations with OCA has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of my role. Being a part of the 2022 contract negotiations—fighting for raises, increased location pay, enhanced service bonuses, and other key improvements—was incredibly rewarding. Looking ahead to our next contract in 2026, I am committed to ensuring the best possible outcome for all of us. My top priority remains maximizing the benefits that support our members.
As 1st Vice President, I serve on the Benefits Committee, where I vote to ensure our benefits meet our needs. Advocating for and achieving increases in our dental and vision benefits two years ago was a proud moment for us all. I am dedicated to continuing this positive momentum.
I am also a voting member of the Scholarship Fund Committee, which recognizes and rewards the hard work of our graduating seniors. We are actively exploring ways to expand this fund to benefit even more families in the future.
I value open communication with all our members and am always eager to hear your ideas on how we can strengthen our union. I’ve greatly appreciated every conversation, and as many of you know, I’m always accessible—whether in person, by email, or phone. If I don’t have an answer right away, I promise to find one and follow up with you.
Please remember to vote for me on June 10 or June 11
Paul Friedman:
To my fellow NJDCEA members,
Thank you for your support and the opportunity to participate in this election.
I have been employed by the Unified Court System in the 9th Judicial District since 2003, commencing my career as a Clerical Assistant in White Plains City Court. Currently, I am a Senior Court Clerk in Yonkers City Court, where I also serve as an NJDCEA delegate
Our union serves as a crucial resource and tool in our efforts to enhance our work benefits and work environment and I’m proud to be a part of this effort.
Prior to being a delegate in YCCt, I have served on committees dedicated to improving benefits, including dental and optical. I have successfully advocated for and represented our members and presently serve on the committee reviewing our welfare benefits.
To demonstrate my commitment to assist my colleagues in addressing any issues that arise, I have collaborated with the union to facilitate conflict resolution and have provided members with comprehensive information regarding the numerous benefits offered by our union.
For example, within the past few years, UCS has established a central arraignment part held in White Plains during weekends and holidays. When it was brought to my attention that the temperature at the location exceeded 80 degrees on numerous occasions, I collaborated with our union president to rectify the issue. Upon clarifying that our contract stipulates that working at temperatures exceeding 80 degrees necessitates additional overtime pay or compensation time, my actions to address the heat problem resulted in a prompt resolution of the problem.
During the most recent Senior Court Clerk exam, I became aware that the testing conditions at several testing sites and the implementation of the sign-up process for testing location preferences were unacceptable. I took the initiative and advocated for our members by sending a letter to the OCA testing unit. OCA acknowledged the problem and promised to present my letter to their committee on testing implementation so the issue would not be repeated. While at WP City Court, I sent a similar letter regarding testing conditions for the Clerical Assistant exam and successfully forced OCA to re-administer the test to the affected employees.
Anyone who has worked with me, past or current, know their trust in me is not misplaced. I care about our members and coworkers, as I believe we are all part of a large family. I would be honored to continue to advocate for our family and would be grateful for your support with your vote for me as 1st Vice President.
*-Incumbent
