HPAE 5089 Rutgers Important Bargaining Update and Call to Action, October 22, 2026
Yesterday, after months of asking for economic proposals, Rutgers decided to sidestep the bargaining process and seemed to take their proposal to the press. Management has not yet made an official economic proposal across the table, but yesterday morning they sent an email to union leaders across the University with their economic proposal. They did not even give us the respect to discuss their wage proposal during a bargaining session. We do not bargain via email; we do not bargain through the press: : we negotiate at the bargaining table.
Their counterproposal for raises does not even cover all employees of our bargaining unit.
Management’s counter proposals are below.
| Up to $50,000 | 3% |
| $50,000 – $75,000 | 2.5% |
| $75,000 – $100,000 | 2% |
| $100,000 – $200,000 | 1% |
| $200,000 + | 0%. |
With rising costs of inflation and health care, Rutgers is telling union members that they do not deserve more.
Meanwhile, Greg Schiano, the football coach of Rutgers’ disappointing football team, will be getting a 3.84% salary increase from $6.5 million to $6.75 million.
We are outraged. This is unacceptable!
If you think this is not right, you need to join our fight. Management will not put across a better counterproposal if we do not demand it.
One way you can fight is by joining our bargaining session on Wednesday, 10/28 to deliver our petition to management. We will be meeting at the circle at the CAB at noon to walk over to Liberty Plaza together. Please sign up to join us here: October 28th – Delivering Bargaining Petitions to Management – Fill out form
The more members that attend, the more power we will have at the table to tell Rutgers this is unacceptable.
If you are not on the New Brunswick campus, we will also be distributing leaflets to educate community members about our contract campaign. Please sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MNRQCCF
Also, please follow our local’s Instagram page at https://www.instagram.com/local5089hpae?cplk=ZXE3dWMwOHRjYnR5&utm_source=qr
#RespectingNursesProtectsPatients
In solidarity,
HPAE Local 5089 Bargaining Team
Sabrina Brown Oliver Peck, VP Local 5089, APN UCHC
Randa Francis, VP Local 5089, APN, RWJMS
Rachel Woodall-Thomas, Grievance Chair 5089 Rutgers, RN UCHC
Joe Bentivegna, APN UCHC
Arcival Salazar, APN RWJMS
Joan Santner, RN UBHC
Tara Andino, RN, UCHC
Uchenna Nwankwo, RN
Dawn Yuhas, RN, RWJMS
Susan Bauer, CRNA, RWJMS
Kathleen Kakfa, Research Nurse Clinician, CINJ