Rex Miller, Program Coordinator, School of Graduate Studies, Bargaining Team Alternate
The URA bargaining team convened bargaining session 13 with management to continue our fight for a strong contract on Wednesday, August 12 at the Labor Education Center on Cook Campus in New Brunswick. We proposed four new articles and two counter proposals. We received three counter proposals from management.
We had our first tentative agreement on Article 16 – Holidays and Personal Holidays! Was it the Solidarity Gathering we held at lunchtime that inspired them to finally agree on something? Over 50 people showed up, including Evelyn DeJesus, the AFT executive vice president, Jennifer Higgins, the president of AFT New Jersey, and members of other AFT New Jersey locals. Solidarity is power!
Article 2 – Acting Appointments: Our Article 2 proposal sets clear rules for temporary “acting” assignments: employees must get written notice before taking on higher-level or additional duties due to a vacancy, the assignment can’t drag on past three months without a decision, and it guarantees a 15–25% pay increase — retroactive to when the extra work actually started.
Article 14 – Grievance Procedure: Management struck much of our language related to Title IX provisions. We agreed about the timeliness and necessity of information request fulfillment by management.
Article 16 – Holidays and Personal Holidays: This is the first article we have a tentative agreement on with minor changes to who is referenced as qualifying for straight time plus time-and-a-half holiday pay.
Article 19 – Just Cause/Discipline: Our proposal would strengthen protection against unfair discipline, but was countered by management who took issue with including references to the Title IX process. They claimed the legal team interprets our proposal as interfering with the regulations.
Article 25 – NE/NL Designation: We proposed restrictions on unpaid suspensions for exempt staff to conform with the Fair Labor Standards Act. Our proposal includes consequences that would convert exempt staff to non-exempt if violated.
Article 35 – Reclassification: Management’s counterproposal struck much of our substantial changes to this article reverting back to the original language.
Article 39 – Salary Adjustments: Our proposal would raise the minimum pay increase for promotions from 5% to 15% plus an extra 5% for change in hours, two or more grade jumps, faster effective dates, and a higher minimum (rather than a cap) on in-range/grade salary adjustments. We also are pushing for allowing in-range/grade salary adjustments around the time of SCP appraisals.
Article 61 – Self-initiated In-Range/Grade Salary Adjustments: Our proposal would make the self-initiated in-range/grade salary adjustment program permanent, make it easier to qualify, guarantee at least a 10% raise instead of capping it at 10%, and give members the right to grieve if the University denies a request. As Christine O’Connell said at the table, “We are willing to do the work, but we want the respect and compensation to go with it.”
New Article – Community Service Activities: This new article recognizes the benefits of community service for employees, the university, and community partners. Upon request by the employee and with approval by their supervisor, they shall be granted release time, with pay, to participate in community service activities that support the mission of the university.
