Member News Archive

Dear colleague, The stakes couldn’t be higher in the November elections. Across the country, the Republican Party is running anti-union, anti-abortion, anti-democratic extremists with ties to white supremacists. If these MAGA zealots and election deniers take over Congress and state governments, our most basic rights will be even more at risk than they already are. Wherever …

Dear {{ FirstName | commonize | default: “Friend” }}, As we wrote yesterday, the State of New Jersey has extended the open enrollment period for health insurance through the end of the business day on Friday, November 4, giving you more time to decide if you want to change health plans to avoid a large increase in …

Dear colleague, You should have received an email from University Human Resources at 4:45 p.m. yesterday announcing that the state of New Jersey extended health insurance open enrollment until Friday, November 4. Our union staff was finishing up the last of a series of town halls, so we were unable to notify you ourselves. Those of …

Dear colleague, We’re writing with important information about your health insurance benefits. You may want to take action by this coming Monday to avoid a large increase in the biweekly payroll deduction for health insurance starting in January 2023. Monday, October 31, is the last day of open enrollment for plan year 2023. The Coalition of Rutgers …

Takeaway: Sign up for Strike School! Click here to register for two virtual 90-minute training sessions being held multiple times from October 26 through November 20. Dear colleague, We are 112 days without a contract as of today, and the administration STILL has not addressed the substantial proposals we put forward nearly half a year ago. Instead, management seems …

Dear colleague, Many of you will benefit directly from the Biden administration’s decision to cancel up to $20,000 in student loan debts for tens of millions of people. Applications for this limited cancellation are now available. Click here to apply—and share this link with family and friends! This is an important first step toward our union’s goal …

Takeaway: Open enrollment for health care benefits ends on October 31. Come to a virtual town hall meeting to learn more about your health plan options and the cost increases imposed by the state for 2023. Click here and fill out the form to attend one of the meetings listed below. Dear colleague, Open enrollment for health …

Dear colleague, Earlier today, you may have received an email from the Office of University Labor Relations (OULR), with the subject line “Notice to Unit Members,” that contains a legal notice from the state of New Jersey’s Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC). OULR is required to post this document on their website. We have no …

Dear colleague, Next week, our PTL colleagues will hold their second annual #RutgersAdjunctsSpeak Week of Action to draw attention to the awful conditions they face as “gig” faculty members—and their demands for equal pay for equal work, job security, and access to health insurance. We urge you to support Speak Week and join your adjunct colleagues in …

Dear colleague, Open enrollment for your health care benefits just started and will end on October 31, 2022. Changes made this month will take effect on January 1, 2023, and be in place for the rest of the calendar year. Our health benefits may experience some steep increases in 2023. As we wrote to you last …

Dear colleague, Our unions won a temporary restraining order against the Rutgers administration’s new masking policy that will allow individual instructors discretion to require masks in their classrooms. In addition, masking will continue to be mandatory in the libraries. These have been our goals from the start this Fall: give instructors the right to weigh …

Dear colleagues, As we’re sure you know, the administration has decided to no longer require face coverings in classrooms and libraries, as of next Monday. Unfortunately, management didn’t discuss this important change with our unions; we didn’t even receive more than a few days’ advance notice of the announcement of this unilateral decision. We know there are …

Dear colleague, This fall, the university launched the “Caregiver Support Pilot Program for Rutgers Employees,” which offers five days of subsidized backup care from Care.com. If you have an emergency or a disruption in your care arrangements, you can choose a Care.com provider for backup care—or arrange for subsidized care from your personal network of family, friends, and …

Takeaway: Join us this Friday at 12 noon for the “We R the University” rally (click here to tell us you’re coming). Share an invitation to attend and information about our contract campaign with your students. Dear colleague, We’re organizing this fall for a strong contract that helps us achieve a better Rutgers. We want …

Dear colleague, Hello and welcome back to another semester. We hope you were able to rest and relax, because we have a contract battle ahead of us. After four months of bargaining, the administration hasn’t addressed our key demands; instead, they are creating obstacles to even meeting. To learn more about our contract campaign, go to the …

Dear colleague, Last week, the Biden administration announced that it was canceling up to $20,000 in student loan debts for tens of millions of people. This is an important first step toward our union’s goal: cancellation of all federal student loan debt. Many of you will benefit directly from this decision, but we want to make …

Dear colleague, As we wrote last week, Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark are facing an enrollment crisis. As of mid-August, total enrollment (both first-year and transfer students) is down by 27 percent at Camden and 8 percent at Newark, but is up 5 percent in New Brunswick, thanks to a 10 percent increase in first-year enrollment. Following this revelation, …

Dear colleague, We are writing to inform all of you about a serious enrollment crisis at Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark. According to the most up-to-date information we have, first-year enrollment for the coming semester is down by more than 30 percent at Rutgers-Camden and nearly 10 percent at Rutgers-Newark, but it is up by 10 percent …

We learned recently that the State of New Jersey wants to make hundreds of thousands of public-sector workers, including all Rutgers employees, pay 20 percent more for our health insurance starting in January 2023. This is not acceptable! We need to send a message to Governor Murphy right now: Can’t pay, WON’T PAY! Call the …

Takeaway: Read below to catch up with what’s been going on in bargaining this summer—and find out how you can get involved in our contract campaign. Dear colleague, We hope you’ve been having the restful summer that we all deserve. We wanted to take a few minutes of your time at this halfway point in our …

Dear colleague, Last week, you should have received an email from President Holloway announcing the findings and recommendations of the Future of Work Task Force he appointed a year ago. We welcome many of the recommendations from the Task Force as limited but useful ways—particularly for our staff colleagues, who have pressed for continued flexibility and …

Dear colleague, Last Friday was a hard day. A majority of unelected Supreme Court justices defied strong public support for the right to choose abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade. We share the outrage and fear that greeted this ruling, not only because of the dire consequences for anyone seeking abortion care, but also the frightening implications …

Dear colleagues, Yesterday, you should have received an email from President Holloway outlining a new chosen name policy and name change procedure. As of September 1, students, staff, and faculty will all be able to use their chosen or preferred name in university communications. This is an important step toward greater inclusivity at Rutgers, and, …

Dear colleague, Our union elections wrapped up on Friday, and we’re pleased to introduce the wonderful colleagues who were elected to chapter leadership and Executive Council positions. Please join us in congratulating all the new and ongoing chapter officers, members of the Executive Council, and chapter leadership teams for each campus (special elections will be …

Dear colleague, It is with deep sadness that we write to tell you about the passing of our union colleague and friend William (Bill) Tucker, who died on May 31. Bill was well known and loved as a respected scholar and teacher in the Psychology Department in Camden. He was a beloved friend and colleague to …

Dear colleague, The first bargaining session for our next contract took place last Tuesday afternoon. The administration has committed to weekly sessions each Tuesday from here on out. After each bargaining session, our union will provide an update, written by a rotating cast of member-observers who are sitting in on negotiations. I’m writing the first …

Takeaway: As many as 200 grads may lose funding before completing their degrees because their work was disrupted by the pandemic. Send a letter (if you haven’t already) to President Holloway and the Graduate Deans asking for guaranteed funding. Grad workers are planning a grade-in at Winants Hall on Monday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 2 …

Dear colleague, We wrote to you earlier this week to tell you that 150 to 200 graduate students whose work was disrupted by the pandemic could lose years of hard work toward their degrees if the administration doesn’t act quickly to get them funding extensions. We asked President Holloway and Graduate Deans from the three campuses …

Takeaway: 150 to 200 graduate students could lose years of hard work toward their degree and for Rutgers if the administration doesn’t act quickly to get them funding. We need to keep the pressure on before reappointment notices go out by the April 30 deadline. Click here to join our informational picket on Wednesday, April 27, from 6–8pm. Dear …

Dear colleague, On Thursday, April 21, at 7 p.m., we’ll hold a Freedom School centered on a discussion at Rutgers-Newark. We’re calling it “Newark Matters: Neoliberalism’s Diversity Ruse.” Click here to RSVP for the Zoom link. The session will focus on how neoliberal institutions have thrived by pitting differently racialized groups against each other—and hidden this strategy through …

Dear colleague, I am happy to relay some good news. In response to the efforts of our union leadership and a number of active members, the University has signed an agreement that allows NTTs to exclude teaching evaluations from NTT promotion and reappointment packets. Tenure stream faculty already had this right for promotion and tenure packets. …

Dear colleague, We’ve heard questions from many grad workers about your first paycheck in March, when the university had to begin paying an increase in the TA/GA minimum salary. After investigating the issue, we think the university made the correct calculations. But they managed to cause a lot of confusion along the way. We’ll try …

Takeaway: AAUP-BHSNJ and Rutgers AAUP-AFT won additional funding in Governor Murphy’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2023 to offset increased fringe costs for faculty with grant funding. Dear colleague, We are pleased to announce that, due to our unions’ strong advocacy, $35 million has been included in Governor Murphy’s proposed state budget for the coming …

Takeaway: Rutgers AAUP-AFT is partnering with the AFT to hold a virtual clinic about important updates to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program on Monday, March 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. Click here to RSVP for the event and receive the Zoom link. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has settled an important lawsuit with the …

Dear colleague, Your paychecks this week should include the second of two raises that the administration tried to permanently cancel when it declared a “fiscal emergency” in June 2020. Faculty salaries will be caught up to where they should be under our current contract, and graduate worker annual salaries will be $1,795 (for calendar-year appointments) …

Takeaway: We are gathering information on how many grads have an immediate need for additional funding. If you are a graduate worker, fill out this short survey. If you are a graduate program director, fill out this survey​. Dear colleague, On Tuesday, Becky Givan, our union president; Alex Adams, vice president for graduate workers; and Sarah DeGiorgis, a Graduate Worker …

Join Us at These Upcoming Union Events Camden Matters: Fighting for Reparations and Racial Equity: Monday, February 21, 7 p.m. Click here to RSVP What R We Fighting For? Contract Campaign Town Hall: Monday, February 28, 6 p.m. Click here to RSVP Dear colleague, Your Raise Is Coming in March: Eleven months ago, we negotiated an agreement …

Takeaway: Join us at the first chapter meetings of the semester and make your voice heard: Newark: Wednesday, January 26, 2:45 p.m. Click here to RSVP New Brunswick: Friday, February 4, 10 a.m. Click here to RSVP Dear colleague, The semester is underway, and so are our efforts to get the university that we, our students, and …

Dear colleague, Our health insurance is now covering the cost of up to eight in-home COVID tests per month for everyone who has OptumRx prescription drug coverage under the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP). Family members covered by our insurance are also eligible, so a family of four covered under OptumRX would be eligible to …

Takeaway: Join us at the first chapter meetings of the semester: Camden: Thursday, January 20, 12:45 p.m. Click here to RSVP Newark: Wednesday, January 26, 2:45 p.m. Click here to RSVP New Brunswick: Friday, February 4, 10 a.m. Click here to RSVP Dear colleague, With close to two years of the pandemic behind us, another semester is nevertheless …

Dear colleague, You should have received an email earlier today from Rutgers’ Chief Operating Officer Antonio Calcado announcing that Spring semester will start with remote instruction through January 30, all students and employees without an approved exemption will be required to have a vaccine booster, and any employee who can telecommute should do so through …

Dear Alan, We’ve made it to the end of another challenging year, filled with burdens and concerns for all of us, but especially those of us with caregiving responsibilities—you continue giving your best to everyone with little to no recognition. We thank you and support you. Work and family balance has been disrupted by the …

Takeaway: We’ve launched our bargaining survey to find out what matters most to you as we organize for a new contract. 1) Complete the survey now; take 15 minutes after you read this email to fill it out. 2) Talk to colleagues about the importance of our union knowing your concerns and issues, and give out …

Dear colleague, We’re writing to update you about a development in our discussions with the administration about our contract, which expires on June 30, 2022. Last week, management responded to a proposal about extending union contracts from the Coalition of Rutgers Unions. After discussions with CRU, our Negotiating Committee decided to give them this week …

Dear colleague, A rebellion is brewing in Camden. The underfunding and inequitable treatment of Rutgers-Camden is getting worse, not better. Faculty, grad workers, and students are taking a stand for accountability and transparency in how our university is run. We want a Rutgers where financial decisions aren’t dictated by an unfair RCM budget model but by a …

Dear colleague, With most of us back on campus this fall—whether in Camden, Newark, or New Brunswick—it is clear that one feature of learning, teaching, and working at Rutgers did not change while we were gone: workspaces for faculty and students alike are in a horrible state. This is not the fault of the hardworking …

Dear colleague, Earlier this week, you likely received an email from Tony Calcado, the university’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, informing you of an all-university-employee vaccination mandate. As of December 8, 2021, all faculty and staff must submit proof of vaccination or have an approved medical or religious exemption. If you have not …

Dear colleague, We urge anyone who can to come out and support Governor Phil Murphy and Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders when they visit Rutgers-New Brunswick this Thursday, October 28, at 6:30 p.m. (click here to register). We want to show that our unions at Rutgers back Governor Murphy as he campaigns for reelection—and make sure our side is …

Dear colleague: October is open enrollment month for your state health benefits at Rutgers. Any changes that you make this month will go into effect on January 1, 2022. Earlier this year, the Coalition of Rutgers Unions successfully negotiated more affordable health insurance options. If you didn’t change plans during the special enrollment period in May, …

Takeaway: Rutgers AAUP-AFT is partnering with the AFT to hold a virtual clinic for members about important updates to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program on November 3, 2021, at 6 p.m. Click here to RSVP for the Zoom link. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has settled an important lawsuit with the U.S. Department of …

Dear colleague, We’re headed into a campaign for a new contract, and in addition to getting ourselves organized on our campuses, we need to be working to change the anti-union labor laws that tilt the playing field in management’s favor. We’re asking you to take action in support of the Responsible Collective Negotiations Act (S-3810/A-5862), which …

Dear colleague, Tomorrow (Wednesday), our union will stand with our staff and faculty colleagues, our students, and our community at an 11:30 a.m. outdoors speakout before the Board of Governors meeting—and during the virtual 1 p.m. public comment section of the BoG meeting. We hope all of you who can make it will be in person in Camden …

Dear colleague, We’re asking you to stand with your colleagues at an outdoors speakout at the Board of Governors meeting on Wednesday, October 6, at 11:30 a.m. Click here to sign up to attend and to speak at the speakout or ask a question at the BoG meeting. Why is it important to attend this in-person speakout? We have …

Takeaway: The first faculty salary equity decisions are deeply disappointing. We need to talk about this as a union. Come to the first New Brunswick chapter meeting on Friday, October 1, at 1 p.m. (click here to RSVP). The following Monday, we’ll hold a pay equity town hall on October 4, at 4 p.m. (click …

Dear colleague, The Board of Governors is meeting in person in Camden on Wednesday, October 6, and we’re going to be there to send a message, with an outdoor speakout and picket before some people go in to address the BoG. We’re urging everyone who can to come out—we’ll gather in front of Campus Center’s main …

Takeaway: Come hear President Holloway at the online University Senate meeting this Friday at 1:10 p.m. (click here for the link)—and help us get our questions answered. Change your Zoom profile picture for the meeting to our “Pay Equity Now!” graphic. For resources and articles to read before the meeting, see below. Dear {{ FirstName | commonize …

Dear colleague, Dozens of grad workers in the Physics and Astronomy department in SAS-New Brunswick haven’t been paid for nearly a month since the semester began. This is an unambiguous violation of state labor laws. Please let SAS Executive Dean Peter March know that he needs to undo this harm by cutting physical checks for …

Takeaway: Management has undermined our salary equity program for more than two years—and they still haven’t issued the first decisions. Enough is enough! We won’t meet with management on this issue until the initial decision letters go out. Let’s send them a message at our in-person, outdoors speakout at the Board of Governors meeting in Camden on …

Dear colleague, New Jersey and New York were hit hard by the remnants of Hurricane Ida earlier this month, and some of our colleagues suffered damage to their homes, vehicles, and property that it will take help to recover from. The toll from this storm hit home in the Rutgers community: the mother of a …

Dear colleague, We have a chance to advance our goals for higher education nationally if we can get our priorities included in the budget reconciliation legislation being considered by Congress. This is an important moment, and the legislator who needs to hear from us is Senator Patty Murray of Washington state. Murray is the chair …

Takeaway: As the school year begins, we have a lot to talk about as a union! Please read below for important information on: Protecting Our Health and Safety Campus Chapter Meetings Faculty Pay Equity Taking Our Struggle Nationwide Dear colleague, Welcome back! We hope you found time this summer to relax and enjoy yourselves. We …

Dear colleague, On Thursday, September 2, at 7 p.m., we’ll hold our first Freedom School of the new school year on “Seizing the Moment: Budget Reconciliation and Higher Ed Now.” Click here to RSVP for the Zoom link, invite your colleagues and friends, and share the Facebook page. We’re holding a Freedom School on this topic because of the …

Takeaway: Higher ed is on the agenda in Congress! We’re asking you to take action on these items: 1) Tell your legislators to support higher ed reforms that will transform our colleges and universities; 2) Sign a Pledge to Take Action in support of higher ed for all; 3) RSVP for our Freedom School on “Seizing the Moment: Budget Reconciliation and …

Takeaway: Bring your questions to our health and safety town hall meeting this Wednesday, August 25, at 5 p.m. (click here to RSVP). Dear colleague, The latest surge of the pandemic, driven by the Delta variant and uneven levels of vaccination, will bring new challenges for all of us when classes begin next week. We …

Dear colleague, Earlier this week, a New Jersey superior court judge had to order management to turn over information about the tens of millions of dollars funneled annually to its money-losing Rutgers Athletics program. That’s the second time in less than a year that our union had to go to court because the administration was keeping financial information secret …

Takeaway: GET VACCINATED (if you haven’t already)! See below for new developments regarding a vaccine requirement for faculty, including union negotiations over a mandate for health care and public safety workers that hopefully will set a pattern for the rest of us. Bring your questions to our health and safety town hall on Wednesday, August 25, …

Dear colleague, Two months ago, postdoc union members unanimously ratified a new contract that made important gains, including a 17.6 percent increase in the minimum postdoc salary to $50,000 and retroactive payments for eligible postdocs who didn’t get a raise in the previous two school years while management dragged its feet negotiating our contract. Those increases …

Takeaway: You’ll see the canceled raises we won back in your paychecks this week. Read on for information about what to look for when you review your paycheck. Dear colleague, Our paychecks this week will contain the merit raises due in July 2020, which we fought to win back after management tried to cancel them …

Dear colleague, As you probably noticed, there was something missing from your paychecks last week: the merit raises we’ve been waiting a year to get. We won back the raises that management tried to cancel in our fiscal emergency negotiations this spring. Faculty members held up their end of the bargain by dealing with the …

In This Update: 1) If you haven’t received any payments; 2) Two more pieces of advice if you haven’t been paid; 3) The easiest way to set up direct deposit; 4) Transferring funds from a debit card to a bank account; 5) How much you will get in unemployment payments; and 6) The union’s Work-Sharing …

Takeaway: We’re asking you to raise your voice with us and tell management they can’t get away with not paying our raises on time. Please add your name to this petition to President Holloway asking him to make sure our signed agreement with the administration will be honored and we’ll get our deferred raises on time. Dear …

Dear colleague, We’re asking all of you who live in New Jersey to call your state legislators today and urge them to vote “yes” on the Responsible Collective Negotiations Act when it comes to a vote on Thursday. Click here to find out how to call state legislators. If you don’t live in New Jersey, call …

In This Update: 1) If you’re still waiting for a call from NJDOL; 2) If you’ve applied successfully but haven’t gotten paid; 3) The easiest way to sign up for direct deposit; 4) Mailings from NJDOL and what to do about them; 5) How much should you be receiving?; and 5) The union’s Work-Sharing Loan …

Dear colleague, We’re proud to announce that postdoctoral associates finally have a new contract. We won important gains in this agreement, especially for the lowest-paid postdocs, and we will go into bargaining for our next contract united with the rest of Rutgers AAUP-AFT. Stronger together! Here are some of the highlights of the new contract, …

Dear colleague, Our union elections wrapped up yesterday afternoon, and we’re pleased to introduce the excellent team that has been elected to lead our union into the coming year. Please join us in congratulating all the new and ongoing university-wide officers and members of the Executive Council, TA/GA Steering Committee, and chapter leadership teams elected from each …

Dear colleague, We’re pleased to announce that we’ve finally reached a tentative agreement* on a new postdoc union contract after two years of negotiations. The agreement must now be approved by the union’s membership through a contract ratification ballot. Here are some of the highlights: A significant increase in the minimum postdoc salary to $50,000 starting on …

Dear colleague, Voting gets underway today in our elections for union leadership positions. You will be receiving your ballot shortly, via an email from Election Runner. You have until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15, to vote. Elections are important in shaping the direction of our union, so we hope you will take the time …

In this update: 1) If you’re waiting for a call from an NJDOL agent; 2) If you’ve applied successfully but haven’t gotten paid; 3) If your work-sharing furloughs have ended; 4) Everything you need to know about setting up direct deposit; and 5) The union’s work-sharing loan program. Dear colleague, We’re writing with an update …

Dear colleague, As we look ahead to the Fall and prepare for Rutgers’ reopening plans, we want to hear from you. We’re asking you to fill out this survey. We want to know about your experiences—whether you’ve been on campus or you haven’t, whether you have workspace or building-specific concerns or more general concerns. We are …

Dear colleague, We are all concerned about the safety of our campus and community as more and more of us return to in-person work and anticipate mostly in-person instruction and fully reopened labs in the Fall. The coronavirus pandemic remains a dire threat, but we are heartened by the ongoing successes of vaccination in offering …

In this update: 1) Work-sharing resources; 2) If you have to apply by phone and are waiting for an NJDOL call; 3) Trouble with the online form/fraud victims waiting for a call; 4) If your claim is filed but you haven’t gotten any payments; 5) The union’s Work-Sharing Loan Program; 6) Do NOT certify and …

Takeaway: The union has worked with the state and the University to give members more time to consider whether to make a change to their health benefits. The open enrollment will now close on Friday, May 21. Dear colleague, We are pleased to let you know that, by agreement with the state of New Jersey …

Dear colleague, We will be holding a health insurance Town Hall meeting tomorrow night, Wednesday, May 12, at 6 p.m. (click here to RSVP). Our union, as part of the Coalition of Rutgers Unions, negotiated lower health care costs for members who choose to switch into the new NJ Direct/NJ Direct 2019 plan or the …

In this update: 1) Work-sharing resources and explanation of forms you may receive; 2) Problems applying online/unemployment fraud victims; 3) If you have to apply by phone and your case is still pending; 4) Work-sharing loan program; 5) Selecting direct deposit; 6) When payments arrive; 7) Your unemployment payments; 8) Deciphering mailings from NJDOL; and …

Dear colleague, Please save the dates for two important union events. • We will be holding a health care Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, May 12, at 6 p.m. (click here to RSVP). Our union, as part of the Coalition of Rutgers Unions, negotiated lower health care costs for members who choose to switch into the NJ …

In this update: 1) Work-sharing resources; 2) If you have to apply by phone and your case is still pending; 3) Problems creating a new account; 4) Unemployment fraud victims; 5) Work-sharing loan program; 6) “e-Adjudication” and “Unresolved Issues on Your Claim”; 7) Selecting direct deposit; 8) Your unemployment payments; 9) Deciphering mailings from NJDOL; …

Takeaway: If you’re a member of the union, please look for an email from Election Runner this morning and vote on the ratification of our revised by-laws. Dear colleague, We are writing to you at the end of a challenging academic year, during which so many of you have stepped up to care for our …

In this update: 1) Work-sharing resources; 2) Unemployment payments (how much you’ll get); 3) Mailings from NJDOL; 4) Mistaken furlough reductions; 5) Health insurance deductions; 6) NJDOL calls to those who have to apply by phone; 7) Unemployment fraud victims; 8) Problems creating a new account; 9) Work-sharing loan program; 10) Follow-up emails from NJDOL; …

Dear colleague, We’re asking you to sign a petition in support of our postdoc colleagues who are still fighting for a living-wage contract nearly two years after the last one expired. Last Friday, some of you attended the University Senate meeting, where we filled the Zoom screen with graphics demanding “Postdoc Contract Now!” and “Resolve Pay Equity …

Takeaway: A special open enrollment period for state health benefits opens today and closes on Friday, May 14. If you want to stay in your current plan, then there’s nothing for you to do. If you’re considering a new plan that will lower your payroll deductions, then read the message from the union that follows. Below …

Dear colleague, Today is the deadline for departments to notify Teaching and Graduate Assistants of appointment or non-reappointment for the upcoming academic year, so you will likely receive notification from your department if you have not already. Many of you have already expressed concern that notification of non-reappointment for TA/GAs in their final funding year …

In this update: 1) Work-sharing resources; 2) Progress for faculty who had to apply by phone; 3) Progress for fraud victims; 4) Problems creating a new account; 5) Mistaken furlough reductions; 6) Snail mail from NJDOL; 7) Emails from NJDOL; 8) Setting up direct deposit; and 9) Work-sharing loan program from the union. Dear colleague, …

Takeaway: Attend the University Senate meeting on Friday, April 30, at 1 p.m. (click here for the Zoom link) and help us send a message to management that they must settle the contract with our postdoc colleagues and also resolve the more than 200 faculty pay equity cases. Please let us know if you’re coming by filling …

See below for information on: 1) Work-sharing resources; 2) Phone calls to faculty who had to apply by phone; 3) Problems creating a new account; 4) Victims of unemployment fraud; 5) Snail mail from NJDOL; 6) Responding to follow-up emails; 7) Setting up direct deposit; and 8) The union’s work-sharing loan program Q&A Session about …

Takeaway: You may get a phone call today from a New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL) agent asking about your unemployment claim. This is contrary to the process we arranged with them, but we are suggesting that you answer these calls, answer the agents’ questions, and ignore any false claims that you are not eligible. …

Dear colleague, We’ve been living through the pandemic for over a year, and we have faced unprecedented challenges. Even as we forged a groundbreaking agreement with Rutgers, our part-time faculty are still facing difficulties. Please take a moment to sign a petition circulated by our PTL colleagues calling for an end to the cutbacks that have devastated …

As a result of the ratified agreement between Rutgers AAUP-AFT and Rutgers University, current Teaching and Graduate Assistants (TA/GAs) enrolled in doctoral programs who have advanced to candidacy as determined by program guidelines are eligible for funding extensions for Summer 2021, Fall 2021, and Spring 2022. The union has been advised that each academic unit …

Takeaway: Important information below on: 1) Resources for the unemployment process; 2) Checking the status of your application; 3) Victims of unemployment fraud; 4) Problems creating a new account; 5) Follow-up emails from NJDOL to “resolve issues”; and 6) Designating direct deposit for your payments. Q&A Sessions about Work-Sharing and Filing for Unemployment Wednesday, April …

Important information in this email: 1) Resources to help you apply; 2) Faculty who have to apply by phone; 3) Victims of unemployment fraud; 4) Questions about work-sharing eligibility; 5) What you’ll be asked when you apply; and 6) How to select direct deposit for unemployment payments. Q&A Session about Work-Sharing and Filing for UnemploymentFriday, …

Takeaway: Look below for critical information on: 1) Help for out-of-state faculty or anyone else who has to apply by phone; 2) Who to contact if you have questions about being exempt from the work-sharing program; and 3) Updated instructions on applying for unemployment. Q&A Sessions with UHR about Work-Sharing and Filing for Unemployment Thursday, …

Takeaway: Look below for critical information on: 1) Q&A sessions held with UHR representatives to troubleshoot work-sharing problems; 2) Updated instructions on applying for unemployment; 3) Guidance for those of us who must apply by phone; and 4) What to do if you should be exempted from work-sharing but have been told you are participating. Dear …

Takeaway: Critical information below for: 1) faculty who are participating in work-sharing; 2) faculty who are exempt; and 3) faculty who have been told they are participating and think they should be excluded from the program. Dear colleague, University Human Resources (UHR) has sent an email about participation in the work-sharing program and advising you that …

We will hold info sessions in conjunction with University Human Resources to help you if you have problems with filing for unemployment or the work-sharing program. Wednesday, April 21, 12:30 p.m. | Q&A Session | Click here to RSVP Wednesday, April 21, 4:00 p.m. | Q&A Session | Click here to RSVP Thursday, April 22, …

Dear colleague, Rutgers employees represented by our union and the other unions in the Coalition of Rutgers Unions (CRU) will have the chance to pay less for health benefits, effective July 1, 2021, if they opt into the new NJ Direct plan during a special open enrollment that will start on May 3 and end on …

UHR info session Thursday at 11 a.m. | Click here for WebEx information Rutgers AAUP-AFT info sessions on work-sharing Thursday at 5 p.m. | Click here to RSVP Friday at 12 noon | Click here to RSVP Friday at 3 p.m. | Click here to RSVP Rutgers AAUP-AFT Q&A session on the unemployment insurance process …

Takeaway: Please attend an important information session listed below. Dear colleague, We want to talk to you about filing for unemployment under work-sharing, but we first have to emphasize a critical “do” and “don’t”: DON’T try to file for unemployment yet. We can begin filing on Sunday, April 18; trying to file sooner will cause …

Dear colleague, As we prepare for the start of our work-sharing program, you should do two things about your participation right away: — If you think you should be excluded from work-sharing (because of one of the exemptions on this list), contact your department chair as soon as possible. Departments are responsible for confirming information about faculty eligibility …

Takeaway: We will be holding info sessions on work-sharing eligibility on Monday, April 12, at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, April 13, at 12:00 p.m. (click here to RSVP for either session). Read this email for more detailed information about the process for determining who’s eligible. Dear colleague, We want to get you more information about …

Dear colleague, The votes are in, and Rutgers AAUP-AFT members have spoken: we ratified our agreement from the fiscal emergency negotiations by an overwhelming 91 percent margin. The total vote was 1,707 to 178. This is the highest percentage turnout and overall turnout in the history of our union. This vote is the culmination of …

Dear colleague, On Friday afternoon, you received an email from Rutgers announcing “the implementation of the Rutgers Shared Work Furlough Program for AAUP-AFT Full-Time Chapter” starting on June 18, 2021. That email is misleading, and it undermines our union’s democratic process. It should not have been sent while members are voting on a tentative agreement, including …

Info Sessions and Meetings Today: 10 a.m.: Information Session | Click here to RSVP 12 noon: Information Session (Grad Focus) | Click here to RSVP 3 p.m.: Information Session | Click here to RSVP 5 p.m.: All-Union Town Hall Meeting | Click here to RSVP Full schedule of info sessions and meetings this week Dear …

Info Sessions and Meetings Today: 10 a.m.: Information Session | Click here to RSVP 12 noon: Information Session (Grad Focus) | Click here to RSVP 3 p.m.: Information Session | Click here to RSVP 5 p.m.: All-Union Town Hall Discussion | Click here to RSVP Full schedule of info sessions and meetings this week Dear …

Takeaway: All members will be voting next week on a tentative agreement with management. Click to read about the highlights of the deal and the tentative agreement itself. We’ll hold a number of information sessions and meetings about the tentative agreement; click here for the full schedule. Dear colleague, Yesterday afternoon, the union’s Executive Council voted to recommend a …

Coalition of Rutgers Unions Meeting Thursday, April 1, 5pm | All-Union Town Hall Discussion | Click here to RSVP Chapter Meetings Monday, March 29, 7pm | New Brunswick Chapter Town Hall | Click here to RSVP Tuesday, March 30, 12:45pm | Camden Chapter Town Hall | Click here to RSVP Tuesday, March 30, 7:30pm | …

Dear colleague, Earlier today, Governor Phil Murphy announced that eligibility for the vaccine will be expanded, starting on April 5, to include higher ed educators and staff and librarians and library staff. That means all our members will be accepted at New Jersey sites. Eligibility applies to anyone who lives, works, or studies in New Jersey, so those …

Takeaway: We’re writing to update you about what we’ve proposed to management to achieve a fair, transparent, and just process for the pay equity program we won in our last contract. Our aim in negotiations is to agree on a quicker process for the people who applied to the program earliest, while settling on a …

Click here to RSVP for the Town Hall meeting at 5 p.m. TODAY. Dear colleague, We have a tentative agreement from our negotiations that makes progress toward our people-centered demands of grad student funding extensions, job security for staff, an end to the PTL hiring freeze, scheduling of our deferred raises, and an end to the …

Takeaway: We’re writing to update you about the new program for graduate funding extensions announced on all three campuses this week, what we are still fighting to achieve university-wide, and what comes next in our fiscal emergency negotiations. Dear colleague, This week, management unveiled programs on the three campuses to extend funding for graduate students …

Takeaway: Graduate students still need funding extensions. Read about what we’re demanding at the bargaining table and talk to your colleagues about what we can do to win them. Please share the testimonial campaign organized by Rutgers Grads United on social media. Dear colleague, Fiscal emergency negotiations continue, and every week we don’t reach a deal, Rutgers loses …

Takeway: We’re writing to update you on fiscal emergency negotiations and to highlight the urgency of one of our main people-centered demands: funding extensions for our grad workers. If you have questions and concerns about work-sharing, look for answers in our updated FAQ on negotiations and work-sharing. Dear colleague, Last month, we proposed negotiations with management …

Takeaway: We’re writing to update you on the status of negotiations over our fiscal emergency demands. We know you have questions and concerns, particularly about work-sharing; we have some answers in our expanded FAQ. Dear colleague, A month ago, we asked management to come to the negotiating table and take up four demands related to last year’s fiscal …

Dear colleague, We’re writing to let you know about a victory for our health and safety won by staff and faculty in Rutgers University Libraries. By raising their voices immediately, they got University Librarian Krisellen Maloney to postpone and reconsider a dangerous plan to make library staff in New Brunswick return to their buildings full …

Dear colleague, Next week, our two national unions, the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors, will launch a campaign for “A New Deal for Higher Education.” On Wednesday, February 10, at 2 p.m. (click to register), you can join an online discussion about the new campaign. Speakers will include AFT President Randi …

Dear colleague, Yesterday, our union’s Executive Council voted to join other unions in our Coalition in negotiating with the university over a work-sharing program and job security. We will propose to management that our members accept a weekly half-day furlough (the equivalent of one afternoon a week, worth over $10 million in savings from our …

Takeaway: You can send a message to the RCM Review Committee about your personal experiences with RCM—click this link to get an email template. Dear colleague, As we wrote last week, Rutgers asked for our opinions about RCM (Responsibility Center Management), the budgeting system left over from the Barchi era that siphons off resources from …

Dear colleague, With the Spring semester starting soon and the pandemic still surging, health and safety concerns are at the front of everyone’s minds—all the more so after President Holloway revealed that he has contracted COVID-19 (we wish him a speedy recovery). Our union is working to keep all of us safe and well, whether you’ve been …

Dear colleague, On Monday, you received an email from Rutgers asking your opinion about management’s budgeting system, known as RCM (Responsibility Center Management). Well…we have something to say about RCM, don’t we?!? Whoever wrote the survey you were asked to fill out doesn’t seem to know much about what we do. In a question about our …