Rutgers 5094 Bargaining Update and Easy Ways to Help Everyone Win at the Table
Welcome New HPAE Members!
First, welcome to our newest HPAE members. In the last weeks, our Union’s membership density has increased noticeably as coworkers from across our collective recognize the power of unity in our fight for a strong contract with Rutgers University.
Whether you are a new hire who joined on your first day at work, or a long-time colleague strong with coworkers to win for everyone, being an active and engaged HPAE Union Member is the right place to be. Your participation and that of all coworkers in our strong Union, is the stuff that victories are made of, on behalf of all the Union-strong HPAE members here and across our Union, welcome, we are happy that you are with us, get active in our community. Together, we have the power to shape our world. Let’s get to it.
Keep the Momentum Growing
Your HPAE negotiations team met with Rutgers University on May 2, 2023, in good faith to negotiate our successor agreement. While the University came to the table with a number of non-economic responses to our proposals, they did not provide a counter on the most important open item on our table. Wages despite having over two weeks to review our most recent proposal. This is unacceptable. We are almost one year past the expiration date of our contract, and we are no closer to settling the agreement than we were at our last session, April 19th.
As you are aware, our sister Union, the faculty of AAUP, settled their negotiations and ratified their agreement.
It is beyond time that we see proposals from our employer that demonstrate respect. The University has no excuse. Rutgers must provide a wage counter to our Union that values the hard work we all do and the financial realities of this time that includes full retro increases back to July, 2022.
Rutgers did provide counter proposals on reclassifications, inclusion of per diem employees in our bargaining unit, seniority, comp time, holidays, vacation accruals, vision care, and cell phone allowance. While most of the responses from the University did not move from previous positions to keep the current contract language, we believe that the University finally heard our message. Our committee pressed upon the University the long hours our members are forced into as work assignments continue to increase. The high point to share is that the University proposed earning compensatory time in half day increments, a true improvement to our current contract language which states compensatory time can only be earned as a day for a day. For all working long and extra hours are aware, the lack of fractional comp days leaves many of us who are salaried working without fair compensation for our time. This proposal is a Union Win, across our membership, coworkers can see work-life balance and pay for time worked begin to come online with this positive proposal offered to our Union.
It must be said, the University’s inability to negotiate a fair wage cannot go unanswered. We will not be dismissed. This is beyond the pale, and we need members to continue to step up and get help bring coworkers into the campaign. To get the contract everyone deserves we must organize like our futures depend on it, because they do.
Prepare to succeed in bargaining, weigh in! Our next session is May 10th, and the bargaining team needs your input to be most effective, participate to push for what you deserve.
- Cell phone allowance – Rutgers claims no HPAE members are required to use personal cell phones for work. If you are required to use your personal cell phone for work, please email either of your HPAE 5094 Co-Secretaries Roshni Danak or Casandra Gabriele and put CELL PHONE in the subject. Share your experience and push for what you need to do your job.
- All OIT members keep an eye out for an upcoming unit meeting to discuss outstanding issues of vacation time accrual and parking that specifically affected those who came into the bargaining unit during the pandemic.
- Speak to Your Top Subject in Negotiations! The HPAE Bargaining Team is recruiting speakers for negotiations to address the topics that are still outstanding. If you would like to speak to a topic you want to see succeed, contact either of your HPAE 5094 Co-Secretaries Roshni Danak or Casandra Gabriele and put BARGAINING SPEAKER in the subject.
Attend Bargaining!
Our next negotiations sessions are May 10, May 17, and June 7 starting at 9am for our caucus. As always, you are encouraged to attend the sessions during non-working time to log into the caucus and join us as an active participant of negotiations.
Register for the HPAE Caucus Room Here
Remember, we all make our Union strong. When we organize to fight as one united voice, WE WIN!
In Solidarity,
HPAE 5094 Negotiations Committee – Justin O’Hea, Ryan Novosielski, , Fatima Meadows, Jennifer Hunt, Kerry Butch, Christina Rozario, Dana LaClair, Charles Jackson, Saleena Ghanny, Susan Fenker, Robin Covington, and Mayra Barreto