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OT: Rutgers faculty union calls strike

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The adjuncts and TAs are getting paid peanuts. Definitely not a living wage. They don’t receive benefits and they are teaching more and more courses. They do the same amount of work for a 1/4 of the payment. Not just RU, but all universities and colleges are taking advantage of the adjuncts snd TAs.
What makes you think you're special? The entire working world is chock full of underlings doing "all the work" while the boss sits around attending zoom meetings all day.
 
What makes you think you're special? The entire working world is chock full of underlings doing "all the work" while the boss sits around attending zoom meetings all day.

But the “underlings,” in a corporate environment get paid more than adjuncts or TAs in a university or college. Plus, the “underlings,” get benefits too. Do you know that the average adjunct or TA is getting paid $10 an hour without any benefits when you take into account the hours needed to prepare lessons, teach the course, grade student work, attend meetings, and attend professional development.
 
If you don't like the job or the pay/benefits then move onto something else. Unions being in government, including a state supported school, is a conflict of interest when you have the majority party in NJ that is backed by the unions
I agree with you. All the adjuncts and TAs should quit immediately and that will have a better impact on driving salaries higher for adjuncts and TAs. Adjuncts and TAs only get paid $10 an hour. I saw a sign that said Chick Fil A is paying $17 an hour and that’s with benefits and free food.
 
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The adjuncts and TAs are getting paid peanuts. Definitely not a living wage. They don’t receive benefits and they are teaching more and more courses. They do the same amount of work for a 1/4 of the payment. Not just RU, but all universities and colleges are taking advantage of the adjuncts snd TAs.
you want a living wage then you work full time and go to school part time

zero fks given for GA/TA as that's what you sign up for. They are well compensated
 
I understand that. I also saw demands regarding gentrification around New Brunswick and other bizarre things. Heard a grad student complain on WNYC today that she can't afford her Jersey City rent (she is paying it now though?) And teaches at RU-Newark. She could, ya know, move to Newark.

Anyway, I get the core demands, but they have not been articulated very well, and it seems there has been movement in that direction from the administration....what I heard so far has been a lot of identity political stuff directed at Holloway bc he is an African American studies guy, and pro-labor, and they are very disappointed he's not delivering.

Again, how far apart are they on the dollars and cents? Seems like a whole lot of ambiguous personality conflicts beyond that.
exactly

it's about choices!
 
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I agree with you. All the adjuncts and TAs should quit immediately and that will have a better impact on driving salaries higher for adjuncts and TAs. Adjuncts and TAs only get paid $10 an hour. I saw a sign that said Chick Fil A is paying $17 an hour and that’s with benefits and free food.
Sounds terrible, so why do you do it?
 
My lecture was canceled. 🤷‍♂️ Probably a case-by-case basis. I have no problem being a scab.
those who don't mind like you claim , better not mind ( if working) their job being given to someone else because of willingness to work for less and/or be treated unfairly .
Management looks after those in management , but sometimes shafts those lower on the management totem pole that have no voice ,besides their own, to speak for them when unfairly treated
Union's represent workers and speak out for each individual worker, using every union employee's voice, to fight any unjust practice management implements and/or poor working conditions be it lower than fair wages or the treatment management gives to their employees.
 
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I understand that. I also saw demands regarding gentrification around New Brunswick and other bizarre things. Heard a grad student complain on WNYC today that she can't afford her Jersey City rent (she is paying it now though?) And teaches at RU-Newark. She could, ya know, move to Newark.

Anyway, I get the core demands, but they have not been articulated very well, and it seems there has been movement in that direction from the administration....what I heard so far has been a lot of identity political stuff directed at Holloway bc he is an African American studies guy, and pro-labor, and they are very disappointed he's not delivering.

Again, how far apart are they on the dollars and cents? Seems like a whole lot of ambiguous personality conflicts beyond that.
We live in a cosplay world. We as a society have soooo little adversity that we need to create it.

People wanna pretend theyre civil rights leaders and world changers. Theyre all cosplay actors. Look at how those expelled politicians in nashville acted. They pretended they were MLK himself. Fists in the air, changing up voice tonality, changing attire. It was pathetic.

These faculty members now want their spotlight moment. They wanna pretend theyre someone.
 
you want a living wage then you work full time and go to school part time

zero fks given for GA/TA as that's what you sign up for. They are well compensated
you want a living wage then you work full time and go to school part time

zero fks given for GA/TA as that's what you sign up for. They are well compensated
They are not working part-time. Many of the adjuncts string together several of these part-time positions to get full-time work. They drive from one end of the state to the other teaching courses at several NJ Universities and Colleges in order to try to make a living wage.
 
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Union's represent workers and speak out for each individual worker, using every union employee's voice, to fight any unjust practice management implements and/or poor working conditions be it lower than fair wages or the treatment management gives to their employees.

And don't give a flying f*** about the student's one month away from graduation with the possibility of needing the diploma to start a job they have already taken. My reaction would be much more muted if this was happening at the beginning of the summer or fall semesters.
 
those who don't mind like you claim , better not mind ( if working) their job being given to someone else because of willingness to work for less and/or be treated unfairly .
Management looks after those in management , but sometimes shafts those lower on the management totem pole that have no voice ,besides their own, to speak for them when unfairly treated
Union's represent workers and speak out for each individual worker, using every union employee's voice, to fight any unjust practice management implements and/or poor working conditions be it lower than fair wages or the treatment management gives to their employees.
I have no problem with a dog eat dog world. Show up to work, put in the effort, be pleasant and professional, and you will succeed whatever level you are at.

Disagree that management only looks after those in management. Have seen managers take out or take down useless or ineffective managers because morale was suffering.

The problem with some unions is they speak to masses and not indviduals. Often they foment a race to the bottom in productivity and performance. Not always, but often.
 
Sounds terrible, so why do you do it?
I have no idea why they do it. They might have grandiose ideas that they will be eventually hired as full-time professors but that will NEVER HAPPEN. The educational model has changed. When a full-time professor leaves or retires the University/College just hires more adjuncts. There are way more adjuncts than professors teaching courses. Another thing is that many adjuncts are older individuals that have already retired from their professions, and are now teaching one course to get out of the house and to just keep active. No one in the United States understands what is happening. I think all the adjuncts and TAs should quit immediately. This will be much more effective than a strike. If all the adjuncts and TAs quit their jobs and refuse to work for $10 an hour, it will shut the university down or it will force the full-time professors to teach more courses on campus.
 
^ The stupidity of those on this board who are supposedly educated truly knows no bounds. If what you say is true, why are there so many right-leaning folks paying union dues all throughout this country?

The best is a sizeable number of them (very few have a degree from RU or anywhere else) have parents that were in unions at RU.

The union is the only reason they got in- and then got free tuition- but now that someone else may benefit, they're melting down.

Like the majority of people have come to learn, every accusation they have is a confession.
 
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those who don't mind like you claim , better not mind ( if working) their job being given to someone else because of willingness to work for less and/or be treated unfairly .
Management looks after those in management , but sometimes shafts those lower on the management totem pole that have no voice ,besides their own, to speak for them when unfairly treated
Union's represent workers and speak out for each individual worker, using every union employee's voice, to fight any unjust practice management implements and/or poor working conditions be it lower than fair wages or the treatment management gives to their employees.
While I agree with you in principle - your argument falls flat on its face when put into practice.

1. While I fully disagree with the practice, this has been going on for years in various industries (offshoring) and is unlikely to ever stop in pursuit of the mighty dollar.

2. If only the Professors Unions were actually looking out for "each individual worker" instead of looking out for their own best interests (I get at some base level this is the purpose of any union, advocate for its membership, but there are larger issues at play) - my Father worked for 25+ years, till the day he died, as "management" at the Rutgers Golf Course, with a final salary of about $48k/year. There was a 4 year stretch in the late 00's or early 10's (forget exactly) that he didn't even receive a "cost of living" raise, let alone an actual raise. I'm sure there are plenty of folks that work for Dining Services, Facilities, etc. with grievances as well - lets see the Professors stick up for all of these other workers for once.

I have a feeling that this is another episode of the Rutgers classic known as "cut off your nose to spite your face".
 
Ceramic Engineering. They had the best looking and smartest women students. I married one!! 😜 Best move of my life.
Ceramic engineering always sounded like a super pottery class! :)
But big congrats on landing the future wife. My RU wife came at the tail end of my RU MBA program.
 
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And don't give a flying f*** about the student's one month away from graduation with the possibility of needing the diploma to start a job they have already taken. My reaction would be much more muted if this was happening at the beginning of the summer or fall semesters.
no, you'd find another reason to be pissed about.
What they are doing is legal and part of forcing the University to listen to what they want and not keep the talks going without an agreement until the unions bargining power is muted because of the end of school year.
 
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We live in a cosplay world. We as a society have soooo little adversity that we need to create it.

People wanna pretend theyre civil rights leaders and world changers. Theyre all cosplay actors. Look at how those expelled politicians in nashville acted. They pretended they were MLK himself. Fists in the air, changing up voice tonality, changing attire. It was pathetic.

These faculty members now want their spotlight moment. They wanna pretend theyre someone.

Could be worse, I hear there's some snowflakes boycotting Bud Light and shooting beer cans.

Hard to imagine anyone could be such a snowflake and cancel culture lover!
 
And don't give a flying f*** about the student's one month away from graduation with the possibility of needing the diploma to start a job they have already taken. My reaction would be much more muted if this was happening at the beginning of the summer or fall semesters.

Sure bro, they totally won't graduate and will have job offers rescinded!

Somehow schools managed through a global pandemic, repeat mass shootings, insane weather, but professors walking out for 2-3 days will alter the course of their careers.

You guys really need better hills, these aren't working.
 
those who don't mind like you claim , better not mind ( if working) their job being given to someone else because of willingness to work for less and/or be treated unfairly .
Management looks after those in management , but sometimes shafts those lower on the management totem pole that have no voice ,besides their own, to speak for them when unfairly treated
Union's represent workers and speak out for each individual worker, using every union employee's voice, to fight any unjust practice management implements and/or poor working conditions be it lower than fair wages or the treatment management gives to their employees.
lol
unions represent their own self interests and there is ample evidence of that

lol at unions represent their members
 
I was a student employee, and was crapped on in all regards. All for my 17 hours a week at $5.50/hr. Couldn't even get a parking spot in the adjacent lot over the summer 😄

I was given a job at the RAC to check ID's but my shift was always during basketball practice so no one was allowed in anyway. Basically I had to just head over there, sign the sheet to say I worked and head home. Even that was sometimes too much effort considering I was on Cook.
 
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no, you'd find another reason to be pissed about.
What they are doing is legal and part of forcing the University to listen to what they want and not keep the talks going without an agreement until the unions bargining power is muted because of the end of school year.

Sure it's legal. But in Webster's under RU Screw this will be used as the definition.
 
Just wondering aloud....if all TAs and GAs really did quit. I mean 100% of them, as was suggested above, I stead of striking...would those same people rail against them for quitting their posts and leaving RU high and dry?
 
Just wondering aloud....if all TAs and GAs really did quit. I mean 100% of them, as was suggested above, I stead of striking...would those same people rail against them for quitting their posts and leaving RU high and dry?
No. The professors would rail against the TAs/GAs for forcing them to do some actual work.
 
Ceramic engineering always sounded like a super pottery class! :)
But big congrats on landing the future wife. My RU wife came as the tail end of my RU MBA program.
You said tail end. Huh, huh, huh.

The beauty of ceramic (now called materials) engineering is that it spanned aspects of chemical engineering, metallurgy, glass science, physics, mechanical and electrical engineering. Over my engineering and patent career, I have worked in optical fiber manufacturing and research, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, semiconductor physics, semiconductor manufacturing and a lot of other areas. And yes, ceramic engineers do work in the traditional areas of manufacturing chinaware (e.g. Lennox and Corning Ware, sanitary ware (American Standard, Kohler) and tile (lots of companies). Versatile degree with lots of hot stuff.
 
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Could be worse, I hear there's some snowflakes boycotting Bud Light and shooting beer cans.

Hard to imagine anyone could be such a snowflake and cancel culture lover!
NotinRHouse Snowflake: Bud Light Libs shot their load on their snowflake marketing stupidity.
 
Would a political party have a conflict of of interest if they were backed by businesses when it came to labor related bills they were voting on???
Businesses do not vote and do not shut down operations until they get what they want. I know you will come back with their threatening to leave the State unless they get a tax credit or something else, but they literally have to leave. The unions are not leaving, and Rutgers, or government for that matter, cannot pick up and move somewhere else where costs are lower or not unionized. While a business has the downside of the expense of moving out of state, the unions have little downside to striking. The negotiating side is too one sided in favor of a union in a situation like this.
 
Does any union care about people who receive their services? A job of a Union is to protect the employees.
And yet here is the union for part time lecturers listing fixing unfair gentrification in New Brunswick as one of their demands. Now you know why the University negotiated dollars & cents and laughed at the rest.
 
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