Attention HPAE Nurses – Rutgers made its first economic proposal

Bargaining Update for Rutgers University:
November 9, 2022 and we still do not have a contract

HPAE Local 5089’s bargaining committee met on November 3, 2022 for our twelfth session of negotiations with Rutgers University. Our contract expired July 1, 2022. After months of bargaining and two months of promising to provide one, management made an initial economic proposal. It is incomplete and does not meet our needs.

To help us achieve the strong contract we
deserve, we need to you to collectively show Rutgers you stand behind our team.
If you have not signed the petition already, please click the link below to sign
the petition and show solidarity with your negotiations team.

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/hpae-5089-and-5094-at-rutgers-university-we-call-on-rutgers-to-bargain-with-us-in-good-faith/

Management’s initial proposal for wages was incomplete and not acceptable. Management has not made its proposal yet for CRNAs.

Rutgers
did not agree to retroactive pay to July 1, 2022. That part of our Union’s
current proposal.

In
addition, management did not respond to our other economic proposals: increased
tuition reimbursement, additional certifications recognized and reimbursed,
differentials for UCHC nurses that match other HPAE nurses under the 5089
contract, increased weekend differentials, additional shift differentials, increased
charge nurse differential, education differential, increased on-call pay,
increased clothing allowance, free parking, increased continuing education
reimbursement, and a clinical ladder for all Rutgers nurses.

To
be clear, management did not respond to any of the above other than to say they
“reserve.” However, we have been bargaining since April of 2022 and this
initial offer is insulting. Nurses carried Rutgers clinical operations through
the pandemic and beyond and deserve a serious offer from Rutgers for real
economic improvement. These improvements will help recruit and retain staff,
who are leaving to other institutions who are providing wage increases now.

Our
next virtual session is scheduled for November 17^th at 10:00 am.

What
can you do to show your support for a fair contract? Sign the petition here:

https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/hpae-5089-and-5094-at-rutgers-university-we-call-on-rutgers-to-bargain-with-us-in-good-faith/

In Solidarity,

HPAE 5089 Negotiations Committee – Sabrina Brown-Oliver, Jennifer Lerner, Dawn Yuhas, Khooshbu Patel, Arlene Cruz, Yuk Wong, Marilyn Mundy, Sri Kota, Joe Bentivegna, Marsha Lauriano, Lucia Otti, Francine Pasch, Tara Andino, Joan Santner, Donna Nelson-Henry, Susan Bauer

HPAE members and supporters rally for job protections at CINJ Rutgers On October 17th