Credit: (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)While three unions are on strike at Rutgers University, there are 20 unions in all at the state university, representing some 20,000 workers of all kinds. Here’s the list of all the unions and whom they represent:
The three unions on strike
Rutgers AAUP-AFT This union represents more than 5,000 full-time faculty, graduate workers, postdoctoral associates and Educational Opportunity Fund counselors at the university’s three main campuses and beyond.
The postdoctoral associates have a separate contract as do the small number of EOF counselors. Those faculty who teach courses during the winter and summer also are part of the union and have a separate negotiated agreement. These contracts expired June 30, 2022.
Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union/PTLFC-AAUP-AFT Part-time lecturers, otherwise known as adjuncts, teach in nearly every department on Rutgers’ three campuses. These are faculty members who are hired by semester and do not have tenure. Adjuncts teach more than 30% of all Rutgers classes. Their union represents nearly 3,000 adjuncts. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
AAUP-BHSNJ, the Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey union The American Association of University Professors – Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey represents 1,500 faculty at Rutgers and Rowan universities. At Rutgers, it represents faculty at New Jersey Medical School, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, School of Dental Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Public Health and School of Health Professions. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
A union that is considering strike action
URA-AFT – Rutgers Administrators-AFT union The Union of Rutgers Administrators (URA) consists of approximately 2,500 administrative workers on all three campuses and in programs at off-campus locations who have joined the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
URA-AFT members work in academic offices to help advise, mentor and direct students. Others conduct research to improve community services, social programs and agriculture.
The union also represents members in the university’s external relations, communications and recreation departments, as well as budget and financial service workers. Members include administrative assistants, business coordinators, academic counselors and assistant deans and they work in dining, housing, maintenance and many other departments.
Its contract expired June 30, 2022 and negotiations are underway. The union is eyeing a potential strike authorization vote.
More faculty unions
The Committee of Interns and Residents/SIEU represents an undetermined number of doctors-in-training, including medical interns, residents and fellows. The group expressed its solidarity with the striking unions but is not on strike. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
The School of Health Professions Academic Supervisors Association/NJEA Members of this union are faculty in the School of Health Professions who are directors of their academic programs, including medical laboratory science, physical therapy, radiologic imaging, clinical nutrition and psychiatric rehabilitation and counseling services. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
The other unions at Rutgers
CWA Local 1031 represents a host of supervisory employees at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences. These range from supervisors of maintenance and construction, and of environmental services, as well as of departments that deliver medical care, Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care, the dental school and academic areas. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
CWA Local 1040 Members of this union are supervisory employees for health services in the New Jersey Department of Corrections. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
Doctors Council – SEIU Medical doctors in Rutgers’ student health centers are represented by this union. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
HPAE Local 5089 represents registered nurses at Rutgers, including University Correctional Health Care, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. The union is not striking but has expressed solidarity with those who are on strike. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
HPAE Local 5094 Professional staff in Rutgers Biomedical and Health Science division are part of this union. The union has expressed solidarity with those who are striking. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
Rutgers Emergency Services – International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Local 5082 Members of this union are emergency service response lieutenants and fire inspectors serving all Rutgers-owned and leased properties throughout the state. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
International Union of Operating Engineers/IUOE Local 68-68A and 68 Legacy UMDNJ Maintenance, construction and critical utility employees at the university are represented by this union. The UMDNJ legacy union includes operating engineers, HVAC workers and energy management operators. It has a new contract. Local 68 and 68A are in contract negotiations.
Office and Professional Employees International Union – OPEIU Local 153 Security officers on the Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences campuses are members of this union. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
Teamsters Local 97 represents facilities, maintenance, health care and technical staff at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Services campuses and the New Jersey Department of Corrections. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
HPAE Local 5135 Registered nurses in the university’s Correctional Health Care Medical Services Division are represented by this union. It has new contract.
AFSCME Local 888 – American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO This union represents an unknown number of regular full- and part-time maintenance and service employees. Among those are mechanics, bakers, cooks, custodians, dining services workers, emergency medical technicians, furniture and fabric repairers, maintenance workers, golf course workers, HVAC mechanics, laundry attendants, paratransit drivers, research animal workers and farmers, security guards, supply clerks and water treatment technicians. It has a contract expiring June 30, 2024.
AFSCME Local 1761 (COLT – Clerical, Office, Laboratory and Technical) Office, laboratory and other employees are represented by this union. These includes classroom assistants, computer operators, couriers, customer services representatives, day care teacher’s assistants, dispatchers, head clerks, health and safety technicians, laboratory assistants, library assistants, marketing assistants, pharmacy technicians, principal clerk typists and secretaries, printing operators, receptionists, publications assistants, research aides, senior teller and theater technicians. Its contract expired June 30, 2022.
FOP-P Lodge 62 Members of this union are full-time officers in the Rutgers Police Department, not including supervisors or managerial executive employees. Its contract expired June 30, 2019.
FOP-S Lodge 164 Full-time sergeants, senior sergeants and lieutenants in the Rutgers Police Department are members here. The union’s contract expired June 30, 2019.
— Genesis Obando contributed to this story.
