Our elected officials make decisions that directly impact our lives, our jobs, funding for higher education and more. When we vote, we help decide who they will be. Please join us to support URA’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) endorsed candidates by participating in NJ AFL-CIO’s Labor Walks. We are focusing our efforts on two…
URA-AFT is proud to announce endorsements for the 2026 General Election in federal and local races. The Executive Board voted to endorse the following candidates based on their stances on issues of import to the organization. * = denotes incumbent US Senate – Cory Booker* US House District 1 – Donald Norcross* US House District…
We need to let the BOG know we are standing together for a strong contract. We are on the agenda to speak in public comments. We’ll be outside. Faculty and other staff unions will be there. Join in person: Thursday, October 1, 2026 Rutgers University–Newark, Robeson Campus Center, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard,…
Another way to support endorsed candidates is by phone banking, coordinated by our statewide affiliate AFT New Jersey. Our COPE has designed our phone banking day for September 30. Going forward, AFTNJ has set up phone banking for the congressional midterms every Wednesday at 6:30 pm, done virtually. All you need to participate is an…
While assaults on the independence and funding for higher education continue, URA members have vested interest in political decisions that impact our jobs, our work and our livelihood. Many grants that fund our work are funded by a variety of federal agencies including National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Security Agency (NSA), Food and Drug…
JJ Cooper, Downtown New Brunswick Building Representative and Bargaining Team Member The URA-AFT Bargaining Team met with management on September 23 at Liberty Plaza in New Brunswick, reaching one agreement and hearing that management is “hopeful” about responding to our important economic demands for raises next month. Article 33 – Probationary Employees: Our URA bargaining…
Those who are enrolled in the union negotiated healthcare plans (confirm at Chose The Right Insurance: SHBP Links – Union of Rutgers Administrators) will see no increase to the formula for employee contribution for 2027. Our state union partners including AFT College Council, CWA and AFSCME among others fought to protect workers from the projected…
Are you ready to step up and play a more active role in strengthening our union? Sign up to learn more about our rights when acting as a Steward or a Building Representatives or simply taking collective action. If you are interested in taking on these roles sign up to attend and learn more. Register…
URA-AFT Bargaining Team, Sept. 9, 2026 The Disrespect Continues In our morning session on Wednesday, September 8, management doubled down on their assertion that our contract is sufficient “as-is.” We were prepared to present our Article 33 – Probationary Employees counterproposal in the afternoon, but management refused to resume negotiations in response to a mix-up…
What comes after Labor Day? ‘T-shirt Tuesday’ starts today. With school is back in session, our contract campaign begins in earnest. As we continue to provide exemplary service to our students, faculty and community, we need everyone to participate in making URA members more visible and proud. If you don’t have a URA shirt yet,…
Please take a moment to congratulate and welcome two new URA Executive Board members, JJ Cooper and Tyrone Davidson. JJ Cooper Cooper is a Facilities and Event Coordinator who works for Mason Gross. He is an active URA member, a member of the bargaining team and a Building Representative. Cooper is also a musician and…
Those who are enrolled in the union negotiated healthcare plans (Horizon 26NJDirect or 26 Aetna Freedom and others) will see no increase for employee contribution for 2027. Our state union partners, CWA, AFT College Council, AFTNJ and others fought to protect workers from the projected 15.1% increase to the premium. In providing this relief, Gov….
We assess the state of Rutgers finances before we propose economic improvements for members. Professor Howard Bunsis is a distinguished faculty member at Eastern Michigan University and has done an assessment of Rutgers finances for the Coalition of Rutgers Unions to dig into the complicated reporting Rutgers management provides. His insight is valuable as we…
Did you know that New Jersey is the sixth most heavily unionized state in the country? In the run up to Labor Day, Rutgers Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) released a new report Monday, August 24, New Jersey Adds 22,000 Union Members in Three Years, Ranks Sixth Nationally. “The labor movement in New Jersey…
The Bargaining Team is asking members the following questions to guide discussions at the table towards a fairer, more transparent process which recognizes members contributions: Does your Classification and Recruitment Form (CARF) match your actual job responsibilities, including being updated when appropriate? Does your annual Staff Compensation Program (SCP) evaluation reflect the actual work and…
Simanti Lahiri, Program Coordinator, DICE, Camden Campus Cathy Brennan, Rutgers Vice President for Financial Planning and Analytics—Chief Budget Officer, gave a presentation to the URA bargaining team on the FY27 budget. This presentation included pages of pie charts showing an overview of how Rutgers management plans on spending their $6.1 billion annual budget. The URA…
As our students return and the semester begins, the unofficial end of summer comes with Labor Day weekend. Celebrating the American labor movement and workers who fought to win rights that we take for granted is sometimes overlooked. It is an opportune time to remember that an 8-hour workday (7.5 hours for many of our…
Emphasizing the importance of voting rights, URA’s Civil Rights Committee members attended a community rally observing the 63rd anniversary of the March On Washington, on Friday, August 28 in Somerset. Comment on FB >>
Falling on the second week of the school year, September 7, Labor Day is a national holiday established to recognize ongoing collective action utilized for workers’ rights, with demands such as an 8-hour day and the right to unionize. While the US Department of Labor characterizes the holiday as “an annual celebration of the social…
Starting this week, our students, faculty and campuses are coming back. While exciting and joyful to see everyone return, it is some of the busiest times for URA members. Be mindful of your time, your mental health, and your work/life balance, especially at this time. As URA members, we are responsible for fixing others’ problems…
A healthy work environment should reward innovation, excellence, and experience, but many URA-AFT members report being frustrated when applying for reclassifications to higher grades of pay while taking on more varied and progressive responsibilities. Our Bargaining Team has introduced proposals to Rutgers management to clarify the steps necessary to grow to higher grades and increase…
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…
In the context of our raises and other economics proposals, higher education accounting expert Dr. Howard Bunsis reported that Rutgers management is crying poverty due to a lack of out-of-state students, who pay approximately twice the New Jersey resident student rate. However, when analyzing the actual data, there is a 5.5% increase last year over…
Josephine Nagle, Sr. Administrative Asst., Rutgers Law School, Bargaining Team Member. URA’s Bargaining Team met for the twelfth time with management on August 5 at 33 Knightsbridge. The weekly perseverance of our crack team, including alternate Rex Miller, continued as we submitted four new articles to management and one counter proposal in response to management’s…
“Every eligible voter should be able to cast a ballot and have it counted,” said Josephine (Jo) Nagle. “But across the country, voters are facing confusion, intimidation, disinformation, registration problems and other attacks on their freedom to vote.” As a Democracy Defender ahead of this year’s mid-term elections (see Become A Democracy Defender) Nagle urged…
Under the provisions of New Jersey’s Earned Sick Leave law Rutgers workers receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave every two years to care for a new child or an ill family member — with guaranteed job protections. A new provision took effect Friday, July 24, extending the benefit to workers with three months…
URA members are trying to figure out what President Tate’s hiring freeze means for us and for our work. The guidelines released last week don’t answer the bigger questions: Why? Rutgers unions have analyzed the University’s finances, and we cannot answer “why?’ Rutgers financial position is strong in every way, from our enrollment to our…
In preparation for negotiations, a committee of dedicated members, led by Cook Lead Steward Jeannette Mullins, reviewed the strengths and weaknesses of our existing contract and grievance history, analyzed other staff contracts at Rutgers and around New Jersey and throughout higher education. The Contract Development Committee crafted the contract survey, generating more than 500 responses…
Tyrone Davidson, Planner Estimator, IPO, Busch Campus Building Representative and Bargaining Team Member We met with management on July 22, 2026, where management attempted to take us back to the Stone Age with two counterproposals: Article 35 (Reclassification) Counterproposal Management rejected our new language to improve the reclassification criteria and process. When discussing our addition…
“The Union of Rutgers Administrators represents staff across all three campuses and in every off campus Rutgers location in all 21 NJ counties,” said Christine O’Connell, URA president. “In many instances, our members are the face of Rutgers in the community and are who students interact with from admission to graduation, including in dining, housing…
(left to right) Greg Rusciano, Isaac Jimenez, Ben Arenger, Melissa Hartland, Christine O’Connell, Mary Ellen Maguire, Josephine Nagle. The AFT Convention was held July 15-18 in Washington, DC. URA-AFT members were selected to the delegation to represent the local in our March election. Delegation Statements The AFT Convention provided a fascinating introduction into the inner…
Josephine Nagle gets a ‘high-five’ from AFT President Randi Weingarten at the AFT Convention in Washington, DC as a ‘Democracy Defender’ Democracy Defenders are AFT members who commit to helping voters get the information, support and protection they need to cast their ballots and have them counted. This work starts with you, but it grows…
From 2016 to 2021, there was a solid increase in international enrollment There was a decline from 2021 to 2026, but over the last decade, down only 2.0% The best news is the most recent evidence from 2024 to 2025: An overall increase of 5.0% in international enrollment, and a large 290 student increase or…
At the Thursday, July 9 Board of Governors meeting President Tate announced that he is implementing a hiring freeze to “strengthen the university’s long term financial sustainability.” We are working with our peer Coalition of Rutgers Unions (CRU) members to write a joint letter contradicting his assertion that there is a financial crisis at all….
In conjunction with our partner Coalition of Rutgers Unions (CRU) members and leaders, URA has been successful in restoring New Jersey budget dollars to Rutgers University across our three main campuses and off campus locations including New Jersey Experiment Agricultural Station (NJAES). Congratulations on this job-saving win to those who took action! URA partnered with…
Since our contract expired, we currently have no raise scheduled for FY27 until we negotiate and ratify our successor contract. All other protections (except for Article 61 – Self-Initiated In-Grade Salary Adjustment Pilot Program) in the contract remain in place while we fight for a raise. If you want a raise and other strong protections…
Isaac Jimenez, URA Secretary and Bargaining Team Member Our bargaining team met with management for the tenth time Wednesday, July 8 at Knightsbridge in Piscataway, where we were accused of “editorializing” when we expressed frustration with the broken UHR processes. Rather than recognizing that there are systemic problems, they simply dismissed our concerns. This week…
Update July 6, 2026: This bill is on hold until the legislature reconvenes. We are removing the sign on for now. The bill, S4516/A5337 would create a new 13-member State Health Benefits Commission, which will vote on what the health plans cost and what they cover. The commission will be made up of officials from…
Are We Falling Over The ‘Enrollment Cliff’ at Rutgers University? Many are forecasting a decline in college age students after 2026, but this ignores the increase in this population over the last several years, according to accounting expert Dr. Howard Bunsis. Despite university executives “crying about this cliff for decades,” it has yet to happen…
Shawnette Johnson, Bargaining Team member The waiting game continues…we spent much of our meeting, once again, asking for updates on the information we requested well over a month ago, and, once again, the administration could not provide it. We also continue to wait for counterproposals from management. Article 61 – Self-Initiated In-Grade Salary Adjustment Pilot…
Al and PH: Use or lose all your earned Administrative Leave (AL) and Personal Holiday (PH) time by June 30. Vacation: Carryover of earned vacation time is limited to one year’s accrual including day(s) earned in May which should have been credited on June 1. Members with more than your annual allotment of 15, 20,…
Sarah Washington Steward and Civil Rights Committee Co-Chair Sarah Washington has been appointed to a new role as Executive Board member representing Newark. “As an Operations Coordinator in Institutional Planning and Operations (IPO) with decades of institutional knowledge of Rutgers and a founding member of our local, Washington is a tremendous asset to us all,”…
Andrea Ohrenich, Armitage Hall Building Representative and Bargaining Team member Our bargaining team met with management on Wednesday, June 17 at 33 Knightsbridge in Piscataway, a short distance away from Busch Campus. Much of our discussion involved issues of pay equity. We are still waiting for information requests that management has not complied with. URA…
URA has called on Rutgers management to expand use of hybrid/remote scheduling options due to the anticipated increased traffic congestion generated by FIFA World Cup 2026 and large-scale events in New York and Philadelphia to celebrate the United States’ 250 birthday leading up to July 4. “These events will generate significant vehicular traffic and public…
As we negotiate a new union contract to succeed the one due to expire June 30, 2026, it is important that we understand Rutgers finances. If Rutgers management claims they cannot afford fair raises, we must be prepared to use the actual reported data to flip the narrative. In the context of our raises and…
The bargaining team is formulating proposals for protections regarding AI and surveillance at work. Members experiences and expectations guide the language of our proposals. Help create proposals that strengthen our bargaining unit.
Our collective power is felt when we take action and raise our voices together in solidarity. Though it may not be your job at risk currently, the interdependence in our schools and departments means that if there are layoffs, you may have to do more work in your workplace. Let’s restore Rutgers funding together and…
Jeannette Mullins, Cook Lead Steward and Bargaining Team member During our morning session on Wednesday, June 3, management again came to the bargaining table unprepared and deliberately unwilling to provide us with the information we requested more than a month ago. They continue to hold off on countering our proposals, using “economics” as an excuse,…
URA members have been sharing experiences with Family and Medical Leave At Rutgers. As we bargain to improve FMLA, we need to explain how leave administration at Rutgers should be improved. Did your experience cause undue stress or harm? Below is what we are hearing so far: My experience was regarding Family Leave Insurance. Human…
Justin Esperon, Treasurer and Bargaining Team member Management insists on giving counter proposals without proper edits. They disregard our improvements and refuse to highlight their proposed changes, creating confusion for our bargaining team. We have been courteous to management in being coherent and deliberate in the improvements we believe our members deserve. They continue to…
URA members who worked graduation, convocation, and any other celebratory events in addition to or outside your normal working hours should be aware of the multiple contract articles that we have negotiated to protect you from giving your work and time away for free. We celebrate our students and their hard work to reach this…
Barbara Nowkowski, Program Coordinator, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Busch Campus. Our bargaining team met for our fifth session to continue our negotiations for a better contract. At the start of our session today, management expressed that they are happy with our current contract and that they will not initiate a lot of proposals. Also, management…
URA members who participate in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program that sets aside pre tax dollars to use for eligible out of pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses will have a new service provider. Beginning July 1, 2026, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield will change from Horizon My Way (old service provider) to WEX…
Oren Rabinovitch, Manager, Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Camden Campus Our crack team of member advocates, negotiators, and leaders met to continue the fight for fair work for fair pay and reasonable working conditions at Rutgers. Management and our team traded responses to these articles: Article 6 – Bereavement Leave Management still does not…
(left to right) Justin Esperon, Christine O’Connell, Abdul Ahad Raza, Nadia Khokhar Abdul Ahad Raza, son of Rutgers Business School Assistant Dean Nadia Khokhar, earned a scholarship as a winner of the 2026 Middlesex Somerset CLC contest. Raza’s winning essay described the formation of the United States labor movement rising from conditions of poverty wages,…
URA members can self-initiate an in-grade salary adjustment through Article 61 in our contract. Since SCP appraisals should have been completed by April 30, your evaluation is a good comparator to your CARF that could show that your role has expanded in scope, depth, impact, responsibility, or complexity that would warrant up to a 10%…
Join in to welcome Mary Ellen Maguire as URA Executive Vice President. Maguire works as an International Student Advisor on Livingston Campus and has been an active member since the local’s founding in 2007. She has been an Executive Board member, served as a member of two bargaining teams and is the current Livingston Campus…
Abdul Ahad Raza, son of Rutgers Business School Assistant Dean Nadia Khokhar, earned a scholarship as a winner of the 2026 Middlesex Somerset CLC contest. Raza’s winning essay described the formation of the United States labor movement rising from conditions of poverty wages, substandard housing and hazardous working conditions. Workers today have made great strides…
Mary Ellen Maguire, International Student Advisor, Rutgers English Language Institute The URA-AFT Bargaining Team met with Rutgers management for the third time on May 6, 2026 at 33 Knightsbridge in Piscataway to discuss new proposals we sent to them and counterproposals that we received from them. Overall, we have not received any initial proposals from…
URA President Christine O’Connell represented our local on Tuesday, May 5 in Trenton at the Senate Budget Hearing to call to restore funding for Rutgers University in the FY27 state budget. We work with university management including President Tate shown here, other Rutgers unions in this photo include Rutgers RAFU and CWA 1031. Rutgers Government…
We need political support to restore cuts to programs at Rutgers University and save our jobs. Our work has tremendous impact on the lives of our students, faculty and local communities at Rutgers and beyond. It is beneficial to all New Jersey residents to retain all the services that Rutgers provides and the positive economic…
From J.J. Cooper, Facilities and Events Coordinator, Mason Gross School of the Arts The URA-AFT Bargaining Team met with Rutgers Management for the second time on Wednesday, April 29. These are initial URA proposals. They will change as the bargaining process continues. Our bargaining team submitted three new articles to management prior to this meeting,…
It’s budget season in Trenton again and we are going to Trenton with our union siblings to talk to our legislators about issues that matter to us. Programs where URA members work are again being threatened and proposed funding reductions can result in layoffs. These include potential cuts to Rutgers Cooperative Extension, New Jersey Agricultural…
What went well for the AFT State/National Delegates and the AFT State Delegate Assembly elections, held in March (see Voting Information for the Election of Delegates)? What would you like to see changed in future elections? The Elections Committee is seeking feedback from members and candidates as to their experiences voting on the short survey at Feedback…
URA’s Bargaining Team met with Rutgers management on Wednesday, April 15 for the first time to discuss new contract terms at the University Inn and Conference Center on Douglass Campus. URA’s team conveyed three written proposals which were discussed at the table: Management’s team did not propose anything, and the meeting primarily consisted of introductions….
Without our work, Rutgers would not work. As convocations and commencement, Rutgers Day and all the various events of this season move quickly from planning to reality, remember that our hard work and the expectation to go the extra mile must be compensated. Contractual articles which may be appropriate for this season include but are…
Have healthcare costs stopped or delayed you from seeking medical care for yourself or a family member? Members responding to that question last week offered insightful and often troubling responses about the many problems with state health insurance. The prompt remains live at Health Insurance Follow Up One Question Survey – Union of Rutgers Administrators…
The URA bargaining team has accepted two meetings with management in April tentatively set for April 15 and 29 in New Brunswick. Last week, URA-AFT President Christine O’Connell and Director Greg Rusciano, spoke with Abdel Kanan to discuss scheduling and other preliminaries. Kanan is Vice President for Office of University Labor Relations. “We expect to…
As your fellow union members prepares proposals and our bargaining team readies, let’s help each other talk through one of the most challenging aspects of bargaining. Responses will be used to support our positions at the table and in advocacy for comprehensive health care at affordable rates. Other members comments on SHBP survey questions: Technical…
Join other Rutgers union members to learn the specifics of changes in SHBP plans and support the effort to advocate for high quality health insurance at affordable rates. See the dates and registration links for the town hall and the clinics on our calendar. If you are “satisfied” with your current plan, then there is…
Online Town Halls and Clinics have been scheduled for union members to learn more about the specifics of the plans through the Coalition of Rutgers Unions. See schedule and learn more.
The following members comprise our local bargaining team. JJ Cooper, MGSA Ty Davidson, IP&O Josh Eaise, NJ-STEP Justin Esperon, Dining Services Mary Ellen Maguire, Writing Program – RELI Isaac Jimenez, SASN Dean’s Office Barbara Nowakowski, Molecular Biology & Biochem Andrea Ohrenich, FASC Dean’s Office Jeannette Mullins, Dept of Animal Sciences Josephine Nagle, Law School –…
Last week we asked members for input on how raises in our next contract should be structured. With skyrocketing costs for basic necessities, improvements in compensation is a must and members are clear on this as a top priority for bargaining (see https://ura-aft.org/are-you-sure-a-sneak-peak-contract-survey-responses/). A vast majority of members reporting being underpaid for our experience and…
Four URA members won election last month to the Rutgers University Senate. * incumbents URA staff representation on University Senate is important as recommendations from that body go directly to upper administration and can address URA concerns while improving Rutgers as a whole. Here are a few excerpted quotes from the Senators’ candidate statements: Brian…
In the past months, URA members have attended Know Your Rights and Meeting the Moment trainings to learn how we can protect democracy, family and community members, and our students. Concern for our students and our community’s safety from ICE intervention is our collective issue that we need to be aware of and prepared…
URA members have received an email from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield that confirms the Special Open Enrollment that we demanded to take place in April. For those who made changes to their health insurance plans last year, you need to do nothing. For those who are enrolled in the state legacy plans like NJ…
As URA members, our work locations and working conditions span across Rutgers’ three campuses, New Brunswick, Newark and Camden and many of Rutgers’ off campus locations. URA staff representation on University Senate is important as recommendations from that body go directly to upper administration and can address URA concerns while improving Rutgers as a whole. …
URA members attended the New Jersey AFL-CIO Women in Leadership Development (WILD) Conference on March 13 and 14 in East Brunswick. The annual event brings together women to learn from other women in varying professions and recognize how vital women are in all our respective workplaces and our communities. “It is inspiring to meet women…
Over the past few months, hundreds of members completed the contract survey to identify key issues and set bargaining priorities. Comments are particularly helpful since we have more than 360 job titles reflecting varied responsibilities and challenges. Together, these results help us look to negotiations with common sense proposals reflecting our collective experience at Rutgers….
Compensation Sneak Peak: So far, between two-thirds and three-quarters of members do not feel we are being paid appropriately for our levels of responsibility and experience. Review a few of members comments on compensation in general and provide feedback on how you feel salary increases should be structured in our contract. Here’s what you said…
New Jersey’s AFL-CIO sponsored a day long “Know Your Rights” training to assist union members in safeguarding each other from overreaching and dangerous ICE enforcement tactics. While URA-AFT has offered similar training for members previously, the day-long sessions held back-to-back Friday and Saturday March 6 and 7 reinforced importance lessons, according to President Christine O’Connell…
AFTNJ State Convention, April 18, Monroe, NJ In addition to President Christine O’Connell, who is constitutionally charged with leading the URA delegation to the AFT NJ state convention, the following 24 members were elected as delegates. Benjamin Arenger Maria Eva Dorigo Josh Eaise Andrew Geller Mary Gragen Melissa Hartland Djar Horn Jessica Hundson Isaac Jimenez…
Here’s what your colleagues are saying: Do you agree? URA members’ voices are important in determining our priorities when we bargain our successor contract. Issues of importance include pay raises, job security, and other subjects that impact our working conditions. Together we can make improvements, but first we need everyone to participate and identify priorities…
Karen Bellamy-Lewis URA’s Civil Rights Committee recognizes our union sister Karen Bellamy Lewis. She is a dedicated labor leader and Senior International Representative for the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE), a diverse union representing professional, technical, administrative, and associated workers across the United States and Canada. Since joining Local 195, IFPTE in…
Some members have reported that they have had work schedule changes due to reviewing the Department Needs Assessment. Article 9 in our contract says: Prior to effectuating a permanent change of one (1) hour or more in the regular start time of an employee’s work day, Rutgers shall give a minimum of fourteen (14) days…
Members responded to last week’s survey with a wide range of assessments of university, departmental and supervisors’ responses to Winter Storm Fern. Read members grades and comments below: The University Stayed Open Monday Instead of Officially Closing A: The move to fully remote was a good solution and therefore the University could stay open. A:…
Download: white background Download: blue background Download: Rosie background Zoom Support: Changing your virtual background image Show your support for the mutually beneficial, contractually negotiated Flexible Work Arrangements and using a collaborative process to determine how to best meet department needs.
Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson recently issued a directive that the “Newark campus expects all units to prioritize a 4:1 in-person schedule” and that “Departments proposing a 3:2 schedule must submit justification to the Chancellor’s Office for review and approval” in violation of our union contract. Furthermore, this contradicts Senior Vice President for Human Resources Vivian…
When URA members received a top-down message attempting to mandate a unilateral change reducing Flexible Work Arrangements from two days remote per week to one, a clear response was warranted. Members (and some supportive faculty union allies) signed onto a letter calling for respect for our contract and filed a grievance. The Flexible Work Arrangements…
Hundreds of URA members, along with Rutgers AAUP-AFT faculty and EOF counselors, collectively demanded management follow our contract in approving Flexible Work Arrangements. When informal problem-solving measures were ignored, three grievances were filed to enforce our contractual rights. URA members pointed out that the department needs assessments (DNA) needs to reflect the work objectives (delivered…
With a foot of snow in much of the state and weeks of freezing cold temperatures, can you grade the university response, your department and share any good or bad experiences? Loading…
Get involved by representing our local and helping build the labor movement: We are accepting nominations from URA members at our Feb. 9, 2026 membership meeting. Voting will take place from March 3 to March 5, 2026. All members in good standing are eligible to self-nominate and vote. Email: elections [@] ura-aft.org Elections Committee: Fatimah…
Your supervisor can institute hybrid (eg remote) work due to an emergency. Emergency is “A crisis or other emergency, including certain inclement weather events, that significantly disrupts a facility or facilities or the physical operation of a department as determined by the university.” See: Article 59 – Flexible Work Arrangements According to our contract Article 51 –…
Our elected officials make decisions that directly impact our lives, our jobs, funding for higher education and more. When we vote, we help decide who they will be. Please join us to support URA’s Committee on Political Education (COPE) endorsed candidates by participating in NJ AFL-CIO’s Labor Walks. We are focusing our efforts on two…
URA-AFT is proud to announce endorsements for the 2026 General Election in federal and local races. The Executive Board voted to endorse the following candidates based on their stances on issues of import to the organization. * = denotes incumbent US Senate – Cory Booker* US House District 1 – Donald Norcross* US House District…
We need to let the BOG know we are standing together for a strong contract. We are on the agenda to speak in public comments. We’ll be outside. Faculty and other staff unions will be there. Join in person: Thursday, October 1, 2026 Rutgers University–Newark, Robeson Campus Center, 350 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard,…
Another way to support endorsed candidates is by phone banking, coordinated by our statewide affiliate AFT New Jersey. Our COPE has designed our phone banking day for September 30. Going forward, AFTNJ has set up phone banking for the congressional midterms every Wednesday at 6:30 pm, done virtually. All you need to participate is an…
While assaults on the independence and funding for higher education continue, URA members have vested interest in political decisions that impact our jobs, our work and our livelihood. Many grants that fund our work are funded by a variety of federal agencies including National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Security Agency (NSA), Food and Drug…
JJ Cooper, Downtown New Brunswick Building Representative and Bargaining Team Member The URA-AFT Bargaining Team met with management on September 23 at Liberty Plaza in New Brunswick, reaching one agreement and hearing that management is “hopeful” about responding to our important economic demands for raises next month. Article 33 – Probationary Employees: Our URA bargaining…
Those who are enrolled in the union negotiated healthcare plans (confirm at Chose The Right Insurance: SHBP Links – Union of Rutgers Administrators) will see no increase to the formula for employee contribution for 2027. Our state union partners including AFT College Council, CWA and AFSCME among others fought to protect workers from the projected…
Are you ready to step up and play a more active role in strengthening our union? Sign up to learn more about our rights when acting as a Steward or a Building Representatives or simply taking collective action. If you are interested in taking on these roles sign up to attend and learn more. Register…
URA-AFT Bargaining Team, Sept. 9, 2026 The Disrespect Continues In our morning session on Wednesday, September 8, management doubled down on their assertion that our contract is sufficient “as-is.” We were prepared to present our Article 33 – Probationary Employees counterproposal in the afternoon, but management refused to resume negotiations in response to a mix-up…
What comes after Labor Day? ‘T-shirt Tuesday’ starts today. With school is back in session, our contract campaign begins in earnest. As we continue to provide exemplary service to our students, faculty and community, we need everyone to participate in making URA members more visible and proud. If you don’t have a URA shirt yet,…
Please take a moment to congratulate and welcome two new URA Executive Board members, JJ Cooper and Tyrone Davidson. JJ Cooper Cooper is a Facilities and Event Coordinator who works for Mason Gross. He is an active URA member, a member of the bargaining team and a Building Representative. Cooper is also a musician and…
Those who are enrolled in the union negotiated healthcare plans (Horizon 26NJDirect or 26 Aetna Freedom and others) will see no increase for employee contribution for 2027. Our state union partners, CWA, AFT College Council, AFTNJ and others fought to protect workers from the projected 15.1% increase to the premium. In providing this relief, Gov….
We assess the state of Rutgers finances before we propose economic improvements for members. Professor Howard Bunsis is a distinguished faculty member at Eastern Michigan University and has done an assessment of Rutgers finances for the Coalition of Rutgers Unions to dig into the complicated reporting Rutgers management provides. His insight is valuable as we…
Did you know that New Jersey is the sixth most heavily unionized state in the country? In the run up to Labor Day, Rutgers Labor Education Action Research Network (LEARN) released a new report Monday, August 24, New Jersey Adds 22,000 Union Members in Three Years, Ranks Sixth Nationally. “The labor movement in New Jersey…
The Bargaining Team is asking members the following questions to guide discussions at the table towards a fairer, more transparent process which recognizes members contributions: Does your Classification and Recruitment Form (CARF) match your actual job responsibilities, including being updated when appropriate? Does your annual Staff Compensation Program (SCP) evaluation reflect the actual work and…
As our students return and the semester begins, the unofficial end of summer comes with Labor Day weekend. Celebrating the American labor movement and workers who fought to win rights that we take for granted is sometimes overlooked. It is an opportune time to remember that an 8-hour workday (7.5 hours for many of our…
Emphasizing the importance of voting rights, URA’s Civil Rights Committee members attended a community rally observing the 63rd anniversary of the March On Washington, on Friday, August 28 in Somerset. Comment on FB >>
Falling on the second week of the school year, September 7, Labor Day is a national holiday established to recognize ongoing collective action utilized for workers’ rights, with demands such as an 8-hour day and the right to unionize. While the US Department of Labor characterizes the holiday as “an annual celebration of the social…
Starting this week, our students, faculty and campuses are coming back. While exciting and joyful to see everyone return, it is some of the busiest times for URA members. Be mindful of your time, your mental health, and your work/life balance, especially at this time. As URA members, we are responsible for fixing others’ problems…
A healthy work environment should reward innovation, excellence, and experience, but many URA-AFT members report being frustrated when applying for reclassifications to higher grades of pay while taking on more varied and progressive responsibilities. Our Bargaining Team has introduced proposals to Rutgers management to clarify the steps necessary to grow to higher grades and increase…
URA members joined by AFT and AFTNJ leaders call on management outside bargaining at the Labor Education Center in New Brunswick.
“Every eligible voter should be able to cast a ballot and have it counted,” said Josephine (Jo) Nagle. “But across the country, voters are facing confusion, intimidation, disinformation, registration problems and other attacks on their freedom to vote.” As a Democracy Defender ahead of this year’s mid-term elections (see Become A Democracy Defender) Nagle urged…
Under the provisions of New Jersey’s Earned Sick Leave law Rutgers workers receive up to 12 weeks of paid leave every two years to care for a new child or an ill family member — with guaranteed job protections. A new provision took effect Friday, July 24, extending the benefit to workers with three months…
URA members are trying to figure out what President Tate’s hiring freeze means for us and for our work. The guidelines released last week don’t answer the bigger questions: Why? Rutgers unions have analyzed the University’s finances, and we cannot answer “why?’ Rutgers financial position is strong in every way, from our enrollment to our…
“The Union of Rutgers Administrators represents staff across all three campuses and in every off campus Rutgers location in all 21 NJ counties,” said Christine O’Connell, URA president. “In many instances, our members are the face of Rutgers in the community and are who students interact with from admission to graduation, including in dining, housing…
(left to right) Greg Rusciano, Isaac Jimenez, Ben Arenger, Melissa Hartland, Christine O’Connell, Mary Ellen Maguire, Josephine Nagle. The AFT Convention was held July 15-18 in Washington, DC. URA-AFT members were selected to the delegation to represent the local in our March election. Delegation Statements The AFT Convention provided a fascinating introduction into the inner…
Josephine Nagle gets a ‘high-five’ from AFT President Randi Weingarten at the AFT Convention in Washington, DC as a ‘Democracy Defender’ Democracy Defenders are AFT members who commit to helping voters get the information, support and protection they need to cast their ballots and have them counted. This work starts with you, but it grows…
In conjunction with our partner Coalition of Rutgers Unions (CRU) members and leaders, URA has been successful in restoring New Jersey budget dollars to Rutgers University across our three main campuses and off campus locations including New Jersey Experiment Agricultural Station (NJAES). Congratulations on this job-saving win to those who took action! URA partnered with…
Since our contract expired, we currently have no raise scheduled for FY27 until we negotiate and ratify our successor contract. All other protections (except for Article 61 – Self-Initiated In-Grade Salary Adjustment Pilot Program) in the contract remain in place while we fight for a raise. If you want a raise and other strong protections…
Union labor powers Rutgers. What do we want?
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Update July 6, 2026: This bill is on hold until the legislature reconvenes. We are removing the sign on for now. The bill, S4516/A5337 would create a new 13-member State Health Benefits Commission, which will vote on what the health plans cost and what they cover. The commission will be made up of officials from…
Shawnette Johnson, Bargaining Team member The waiting game continues…we spent much of our meeting, once again, asking for updates on the information we requested well over a month ago, and, once again, the administration could not provide it. We also continue to wait for counterproposals from management. Article 61 – Self-Initiated In-Grade Salary Adjustment Pilot…
Sarah Washington Steward and Civil Rights Committee Co-Chair Sarah Washington has been appointed to a new role as Executive Board member representing Newark. “As an Operations Coordinator in Institutional Planning and Operations (IPO) with decades of institutional knowledge of Rutgers and a founding member of our local, Washington is a tremendous asset to us all,”…
Andrea Ohrenich, Armitage Hall Building Representative and Bargaining Team member Our bargaining team met with management on Wednesday, June 17 at 33 Knightsbridge in Piscataway, a short distance away from Busch Campus. Much of our discussion involved issues of pay equity. We are still waiting for information requests that management has not complied with. URA…
URA has called on Rutgers management to expand use of hybrid/remote scheduling options due to the anticipated increased traffic congestion generated by FIFA World Cup 2026 and large-scale events in New York and Philadelphia to celebrate the United States’ 250 birthday leading up to July 4. “These events will generate significant vehicular traffic and public…
The bargaining team is formulating proposals for protections regarding AI and surveillance at work. Members experiences and expectations guide the language of our proposals. Help create proposals that strengthen our bargaining unit.
Our collective power is felt when we take action and raise our voices together in solidarity. Though it may not be your job at risk currently, the interdependence in our schools and departments means that if there are layoffs, you may have to do more work in your workplace. Let’s restore Rutgers funding together and…
URA members have been sharing experiences with Family and Medical Leave At Rutgers. As we bargain to improve FMLA, we need to explain how leave administration at Rutgers should be improved. Did your experience cause undue stress or harm? Below is what we are hearing so far: My experience was regarding Family Leave Insurance. Human…
URA members who worked graduation, convocation, and any other celebratory events in addition to or outside your normal working hours should be aware of the multiple contract articles that we have negotiated to protect you from giving your work and time away for free. We celebrate our students and their hard work to reach this…
Barbara Nowkowski, Program Coordinator, Molecular Biology & Biochemistry, Busch Campus. Our bargaining team met for our fifth session to continue our negotiations for a better contract. At the start of our session today, management expressed that they are happy with our current contract and that they will not initiate a lot of proposals. Also, management…
URA members who participate in the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) program that sets aside pre tax dollars to use for eligible out of pocket medical, dental, and vision expenses will have a new service provider. Beginning July 1, 2026, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield will change from Horizon My Way (old service provider) to WEX…
(left to right) Justin Esperon, Christine O’Connell, Abdul Ahad Raza, Nadia Khokhar Abdul Ahad Raza, son of Rutgers Business School Assistant Dean Nadia Khokhar, earned a scholarship as a winner of the 2026 Middlesex Somerset CLC contest. Raza’s winning essay described the formation of the United States labor movement rising from conditions of poverty wages,…
URA members can self-initiate an in-grade salary adjustment through Article 61 in our contract. Since SCP appraisals should have been completed by April 30, your evaluation is a good comparator to your CARF that could show that your role has expanded in scope, depth, impact, responsibility, or complexity that would warrant up to a 10%…
Join in to welcome Mary Ellen Maguire as URA Executive Vice President. Maguire works as an International Student Advisor on Livingston Campus and has been an active member since the local’s founding in 2007. She has been an Executive Board member, served as a member of two bargaining teams and is the current Livingston Campus…
Abdul Ahad Raza, son of Rutgers Business School Assistant Dean Nadia Khokhar, earned a scholarship as a winner of the 2026 Middlesex Somerset CLC contest. Raza’s winning essay described the formation of the United States labor movement rising from conditions of poverty wages, substandard housing and hazardous working conditions. Workers today have made great strides…
URA President Christine O’Connell represented our local on Tuesday, May 5 in Trenton at the Senate Budget Hearing to call to restore funding for Rutgers University in the FY27 state budget. We work with university management including President Tate shown here, other Rutgers unions in this photo include Rutgers RAFU and CWA 1031. Rutgers Government…
We need political support to restore cuts to programs at Rutgers University and save our jobs. Our work has tremendous impact on the lives of our students, faculty and local communities at Rutgers and beyond. It is beneficial to all New Jersey residents to retain all the services that Rutgers provides and the positive economic…
A strong contract will require in-person actions, higher membership rates, and communication across all our worksites.
From J.J. Cooper, Facilities and Events Coordinator, Mason Gross School of the Arts The URA-AFT Bargaining Team met with Rutgers Management for the second time on Wednesday, April 29. These are initial URA proposals. They will change as the bargaining process continues. Our bargaining team submitted three new articles to management prior to this meeting,…
What went well for the AFT State/National Delegates and the AFT State Delegate Assembly elections, held in March (see Voting Information for the Election of Delegates)? What would you like to see changed in future elections? The Elections Committee is seeking feedback from members and candidates as to their experiences voting on the short survey at Feedback…
Join other Rutgers union members to learn the specifics of changes in SHBP plans and support the effort to advocate for high quality health insurance at affordable rates. See the dates and registration links for the town hall and the clinics on our calendar. If you are “satisfied” with your current plan, then there is…
Last week we asked members for input on how raises in our next contract should be structured. With skyrocketing costs for basic necessities, improvements in compensation is a must and members are clear on this as a top priority for bargaining (see https://ura-aft.org/are-you-sure-a-sneak-peak-contract-survey-responses/). A vast majority of members reporting being underpaid for our experience and…
Four URA members won election last month to the Rutgers University Senate. * incumbents URA staff representation on University Senate is important as recommendations from that body go directly to upper administration and can address URA concerns while improving Rutgers as a whole. Here are a few excerpted quotes from the Senators’ candidate statements: Brian…
In the past months, URA members have attended Know Your Rights and Meeting the Moment trainings to learn how we can protect democracy, family and community members, and our students. Concern for our students and our community’s safety from ICE intervention is our collective issue that we need to be aware of and prepared…
URA members attended the New Jersey AFL-CIO Women in Leadership Development (WILD) Conference on March 13 and 14 in East Brunswick. The annual event brings together women to learn from other women in varying professions and recognize how vital women are in all our respective workplaces and our communities. “It is inspiring to meet women…
Over the past few months, hundreds of members completed the contract survey to identify key issues and set bargaining priorities. Comments are particularly helpful since we have more than 360 job titles reflecting varied responsibilities and challenges. Together, these results help us look to negotiations with common sense proposals reflecting our collective experience at Rutgers….
New Jersey’s AFL-CIO sponsored a day long “Know Your Rights” training to assist union members in safeguarding each other from overreaching and dangerous ICE enforcement tactics. While URA-AFT has offered similar training for members previously, the day-long sessions held back-to-back Friday and Saturday March 6 and 7 reinforced importance lessons, according to President Christine O’Connell…
Karen Bellamy-Lewis URA’s Civil Rights Committee recognizes our union sister Karen Bellamy Lewis. She is a dedicated labor leader and Senior International Representative for the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers (IFPTE), a diverse union representing professional, technical, administrative, and associated workers across the United States and Canada. Since joining Local 195, IFPTE in…
Members responded to last week’s survey with a wide range of assessments of university, departmental and supervisors’ responses to Winter Storm Fern. Read members grades and comments below: The University Stayed Open Monday Instead of Officially Closing A: The move to fully remote was a good solution and therefore the University could stay open. A:…
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Download: white background Download: blue background Download: Rosie background Zoom Support: Changing your virtual background image Show your support for the mutually beneficial, contractually negotiated Flexible Work Arrangements and using a collaborative process to determine how to best meet department needs.
Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson recently issued a directive that the “Newark campus expects all units to prioritize a 4:1 in-person schedule” and that “Departments proposing a 3:2 schedule must submit justification to the Chancellor’s Office for review and approval” in violation of our union contract. Furthermore, this contradicts Senior Vice President for Human Resources Vivian…
When URA members received a top-down message attempting to mandate a unilateral change reducing Flexible Work Arrangements from two days remote per week to one, a clear response was warranted. Members (and some supportive faculty union allies) signed onto a letter calling for respect for our contract and filed a grievance. The Flexible Work Arrangements…
Hundreds of URA members, along with Rutgers AAUP-AFT faculty and EOF counselors, collectively demanded management follow our contract in approving Flexible Work Arrangements. When informal problem-solving measures were ignored, three grievances were filed to enforce our contractual rights. URA members pointed out that the department needs assessments (DNA) needs to reflect the work objectives (delivered…
Get involved by representing our local and helping build the labor movement: We are accepting nominations from URA members at our Feb. 9, 2026 membership meeting. Voting will take place from March 3 to March 5, 2026. All members in good standing are eligible to self-nominate and vote. Email: elections [@] ura-aft.org Elections Committee: Fatimah…
Your supervisor can institute hybrid (eg remote) work due to an emergency. Emergency is “A crisis or other emergency, including certain inclement weather events, that significantly disrupts a facility or facilities or the physical operation of a department as determined by the university.” See: Article 59 – Flexible Work Arrangements According to our contract Article 51 –…