Update from the Bargaining Table & Easy Ways to Show Power!
Dear {{ FirstName | default: ‘Friend’ }},
Your Update – Straight from the Bargaining Table
HPAE local 5094 arrived on 11/8/22 for our 15th session of negotiations with Rutgers University. Our contract expired July 1, 2022.
Yet again our session ended with Rutgers without a single proposal being passed across the table. The University left our session after only 10 minutes claiming they wanted to caucus. We presented the University with a counter proposal for open bargaining at our last session on 10/26/22 to reach an agreement for transparency in negotiations before this session. The University failed to respond to our counter proposal prior to the start of this session. The University rejected our counter proposal in whole and stated they refused to move off their previous positions.
The University’s idea of open bargaining is to limit our sessions to only 75 members including our committee to witness the bargaining process. Our bargaining unit of 2070 would be limited to only 3.6% of our total unit eligible to attend a session at any given time. The University is also attempting to shrink our sessions from 3 hours to 2 hours for each session. This is unacceptable.
Our committee was prepared to speak on behalf of our membership. As representatives of our bargaining unit, we are committed to moving these contract negotiations forward to secure a contract despite the University’s lack of responsiveness. Our team has worked during the two weeks between sessions to write proposal counters and finalize the last of our initial proposals for Remote Work and Job Series. It was clear that the University does not put in the same effort.
It is up to us as a Union to push these negotiations forward. We call to all members to join the fight!!
Our next virtual session is scheduled for Wednesday, November 23rd at 10:00am.
Join the caucus session at 9am on 11/23. Register for our caucus room here.
You should not be on work time during your attendance at the session. We are asking for a commitment of up to 1 hour (whatever your lunch/break times are) to show Rutgers we stand behind our committee in solidarity. You can use either your personal or Rutgers device to log into the sessions.
In Solidarity,
HPAE 5094 Negotiations Committee – Justin O’Hea, Ryan Novosielski, Ana Delgado, Fatima Meadows, Jennifer Hunt, Kerry Butch, Christina Rozario, Dana LaClair, Charles Jackson, Saleena Ghanny, Susan Fenker, Robin Covington, and Mayra Barreto
Upcoming General Membership Meetings: Calling All Members!
Get updates about bargaining and upcoming union events to support winning a strong contract with Rutgers. All members are invited to the upcoming General Membership Meetings hosted online at the four times below. To attend you must be an active HPAE Local 5094 Member. Please encourage coworkers to attend. It will take an active and informed membership to win a strong agreement. We all deserve better, let’s win it together.
HPAE Local 5094 General Membership Meetings will be hosted virtually at the times below:
- Tuesday, November 29 at 12pm
- Wednesday, November 30 at 6:30pm
- Wednesday, December 14 at 12pm
- Thursday, December 15 at 6:30pm
We Deserve a Strong Contract! Count Me In for the HPAE Day of Action on December 6!
Join the HPAE Bargaining Team, the HPAE Contract Action Team and union-strong coworkers from across the Coalition of Rutgers Unions in our continued fight for a strong union contract with Rutgers at a Day of Action on December 6 in New Brunswick.
HPAE Members want to see a strong contract and are bringing the message all the way to the Board of Governors. Join the Day of Action!
Click here to say you’re in: Count Me in – I plan to Join the Day of Action!
In solidarity,
Ryan Novosielski and Justin O’Hea
Co-Presidents, HPAE 5094