Dear colleague,
Our unions are launching a bargaining survey this week that will help identify what we want as priorities in our next contract fight. Our agreements with Rutgers expire at the end of next June, so we need to be ready to start bargaining early in the new year.
Each of you received an email last week with the subject line “Take Our Union Bargaining Survey! – Access It Through This Email.” You have to find that email and click on the green “Begin Survey” button. This is so you can take the survey anonymously if you wish; each email has a unique link, so union members and staff will only know if you submitted your survey, not how you answered.
But we encourage you to identify yourself in an optional section at the end. This will help us ensure that the survey has reached as many departments, schools, and campuses as possible—and let us know if you want to get involved in your union.
The survey is designed to help us accurately understand and represent the diverse interests of our membership across different jobs, ranks, campuses, backgrounds, and identities. But it has another role: to assess membership participation and our unions’ strength. The best way to win a strong contract and improve working conditions is an active membership; the number and range of completed surveys is a measure of this.
We want everyone we represent to take this survey, member or not. But to win a strong contract, we need everyone working together, supporting our union and each other, including financial support with a small deduction from your paycheck for union dues. If you aren’t a member of your union, we ask you to take the survey AND join us.
As always, if you have any questions, contact us at aaup@rutgersaaup.org.
In solidarity,
Rebecca Givan, President, Rutgers AAUP-AFT
Heather Pierce, President, Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union
Catherine Monteleone, MD, President, AAUP-BHSNJ