“We’re excited. We feel this is a really, really strong contract. I’m excited for our members to look at it — to look through these gains, to understand what they mean, how they’ll impact everybody,” said Rebecca Givan, president of full-time faculty union at Rutgers University. Rutgers union leaders expressed exhaustion but exhilaration over the tentative contract agreement they’re now presenting to some 9,000 members for a vote.
It took a week-long strike and several weeks of grueling negotiations to get a proposal that sets historic salary increases for adjunct and non-tenured professors — offering many job security for the first time. For adjunct Heather Pierce, it means, she said, “We’re finally going to get paid above poverty wages. That’s a big one. But also the job security we have here means a whole lot … We can plan our lives.”
“I think our members’ willingness to go on strike created a strong understanding,” Givan said. “I think that Governor Murphy’s intervention was critical. He showed this was serious. He was not okay with the Rutgers administration seeking an injunction.” Voting will continue into next week.
The question now is how much would this contract settlement cost? And who will pay for it? Gov. Phil Murphy indicated he would put state money on the table to help fund the agreement. There’s little appetite for tuition increases. “Reaching this point today is a recognition that we all can come together and work through our differences for the good of the university … and I look forward to resolving all outstanding non-faculty contracts as quickly as possible,” stated Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway. Nine other Rutgers unions continue negotiations with the university.
