Writer: Joshua Andino
2 min read April 2023— For the first time in the university’s 257-year history, Rutgers faculty are on strike today.
Three unions are involved in the strike — the Rutgers AAUP-AFT, representing full-time faculty, graduate workers and postdoctoral associates in addition to some counselors, the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union, representing part-time lecturers and the AAUP-BHSNJ, which represents the biomedical, health and life sciences faculty from the university’s public health, medical, dental and nursing schools. The unions have set up picket lines fighting for faster negotiations and a higher salary adjustment under a single contract for all of the school’s union members. The strike affects the school’s campuses in Newark, New Brunswick and Camden.
Those involved in clinical research and other essential work are excused from the strike, with the unions encouraging participation by ceasing other voluntary activities faculty normally perform, such as attending lectures, committees, grading student assignments or holding office hours.
Union leaders say they are striking for better pay, increased job security and other benefits as outlined in a 13-point list of demands.
As the strike was beginning, Rutgers University President James Holloway issued a statement yesterday saying, “our campuses are open and operating, including all academic buildings and libraries. We encourage students to continue attending their classes and doing their coursework, and we ask faculty and staff to continue doing their work as we carry out the business of the university.”
In an attempt to swiftly resolve the issue, Governor Phil Murphy intervened on Sunday before the week began. On Twitter, Gov. Murphy called on the parties to meet at the statehouse and negotiate in good faith and reach a prompt agreement.
Holloway’s statement welcomed the governor’s leadership on the issue, and held off on more drastic action. “We are hopeful that we can quickly come to a resolution of the remaining outstanding issues. The Governor also asked me personally to delay taking legal action asking the courts to order strikers back to work. I agreed to the Governor’s important request while it appears that progress can be made,” the statement read.
While this is the first such case of a faculty strike in Rutgers history, labor organizations have seen an uptick of activity over the last few years. Across the country, Starbucks workers have begun organizing, while Amazon made headlines when workers in New York voted to form the company’s first worker’s union, while tech-giant Apple also saw the formation of its first union in Maryland last year in June.
Overall, it appears workers across the country are enjoying new-found leverage over employers as the national conversation surrounding increased wages, work-from-home demands, the lack of available talent and a general willingness from employees to change jobs should they be dissatisfied. The strength of the labor market has become a key part of the inflation phenomenon, with Jerome Powell, chairman of the Federal Reserve, saying, “The reality is if we continue to get strong labor market reports or higher inflation reports, it might be the case that we have to raise rates more,” in remarks to the Economic Club of Washington.
For Rutgers, it remains to be seen how long the strike will last. While the strike will inconvenience students, Holloway was firm in his statement saying strikers should not interrupt ongoing classes, concluding, “While I respect the right of people to peacefully protest, there is no excuse for interfering with classes being taught by faculty who are choosing to continue with their jobs and meet their obligations to our students. I hope the union leadership will join me in urging their members to be respectful of our students and supportive of their academic progress.”
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