OT: Holloway says strike is over

[retired711]

Before I say anything else, I want to express the hope that any discussion on this topic is civil and relevant.

I just got the following e-mail from President Holloway:

April 15, 2023 Dear Members of the Rutgers Community: Rutgers University has reached the framework on economic issues for new contracts with several of our faculty unions, ending the week-long strike. The framework that was reached late last night between Rutgers and its faculty unions provides fair and equitable wages, benefits, and work conditions for our faculty as well as our graduate students and part-time lecturers. Reaching consensus comes as a result of the active and engaged leadership of Governor Murphy, to whom we all are deeply indebted. Most important, closure on this framework will allow our 67,000 students to resume their studies and pursue their academic degrees. Nothing we do is as important as living up to the expectations that our students and their families have of us to be fully supportive of them and nurturing of their academic ambitions and dreams. The agreement on new contracts will increase salaries across-the-board for full-time faculty and EOF counselors by at least 14 percent by July 1, 2025. Further, it will provide a 43.8 percent increase in the per-credit salary rate for part-time lecturers over the four years of the contract and at the same time significantly strengthens their job security. Additionally, it will increase the minimum salary for postdoctoral fellows and associates by 27.9 percent over the same contract period. The agreement provides substantial enhancements in wages as well as a commitment to multi-year university support for our teaching assistants and graduate assistants. These graduate students, in addition to receiving health care coverage and free tuition and fees, will see their 10-month salaries increase to $40,000 over the course of the contract. The contracts are retroactive to July 1, 2022, and will provide substantial retroactive salary payments to covered employees. I’m grateful to our negotiating team and optimistic that the membership of these unions will vote to ratify the contracts when fully completed. Our students’ academic success, well-being, and progress is our utmost priority, so as striking faculty members return to the classroom, let me address some important academic issues for our students: Coursework: The University encourages instructors to be flexible and to support our students on their path to academic success. Instructors will communicate with their students regarding course expectations and any modifications to course plans and assignments and will provide opportunities to make up any missed work. We encourage students to reach out to their school dean’s office for help with advising and registration issues. Registration and Exam Schedule: Fall 2023 course registration (which starts on Monday, April 17) and other universitywide programming will proceed as scheduled, as reflected on the academic calendar followed by each school. There will be no change to reading days and the schedule of final exams. Commencement: Plans for Commencement and school convocations are proceeding. We are eager to celebrate our graduating students’ achievements next month. Counseling: As I have seen in the e-mail messages I have received, this has been a difficult time for many students, and I encourage anyone who is struggling to please see our counseling support services posted on the strike information page. Again, my thanks to Governor Murphy as well as his staff and the state-appointed mediators who helped the university and the unions resolve differences on key issues and enable us all once again to focus on the academic enterprise that is the heart of this remarkable university. I look forward to finishing the academic year on a triumphant note as we celebrate the Class of 2023 next month. Sincerely, Jonathan Holloway President and University Professor

 

[Kbee3]

Not unexpected.

 

[retired711]

If you scroll down this story, you can see the unions' demands and the University's responses as of the beginning of the strike. It's not obvious who "won." https://www.nj.com/rutgers/2023/04/...t-is-asking-and-what-rutgers-is-offering.html

 

[bigmatt718]

I figured it was nearing the end when I stopped hearing about it all the time the last day or so.

 

[Knight Shift]

If you scroll down this story, you can see the unions' demands and the University's responses as of the beginning of the strike. It's not obvious who "won." https://www.nj.com/rutgers/2023/04/...t-is-asking-and-what-rutgers-is-offering.html

The students won. That is all that matters. Any other discussion on this will lead to uncivil and irrelevant bickering as well as cheap shots at unions and professors.

 

[RU at the shore]

The students won.

The students definitely won. From the pictures my son showed me it looked like the greatest week to be a Rutgers student ever !!

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Lol

 

[RU_87]

If you scroll down this story, you can see the unions' demands and the University's responses as of the beginning of the strike. It's not obvious who "won." https://www.nj.com/rutgers/2023/04/...t-is-asking-and-what-rutgers-is-offering.html

I didn’t read it (calling myself out as I say)…as it probably should be. The unions want A (usually more than they expect to receive) and the University wants Z (usually less than they’re willing to go but a starting point). I assume negotiations resulted in concessions on both sides and they met somewhere in the middle…maybe a bit more to one side.

 

[e5fdny]

I enjoy all of the contributions @retired711 has brought to this site.

Thank you for sticking around.👍

 

[RUTGERS95]

unbelievable

 

[DJ Spanky]

These graduate students, in addition to receiving health care coverage and free tuition and fees, will see their 10-month salaries increase to $40,000 over the course of the contract.

Geeze, if I had known the deal was this good I would have pursued it years ago when I didn't have any responsibilities.

 

[newell138]

At least the students are being offered counseling. I’m sure they’re traumatized after such a difficult week of beautiful weather and no classes. I can’t imagine how I would have been able to get through it

 

[mdk01]

Geeze, if I had known the deal was this good I would have pursued it years ago when I didn't have any responsibilities.

For an out of state student who is married that total package is probably close to 100k per year.

 

[cyrock3]

I think the union won big time.

My next prediction is Holloway gets replaced by an incredibly anti-athletics President the union loves and this board will no longer have a reason to exist.

Dowling & Killingsworth are going to win in the end.

 

[Kbee3]

I didn’t read it (calling myself out as I say)…as it probably should be. The unions want A (usually more than they expect to receive) and the University wants Z (usually less than they’re willing to go but a starting point). I assume negotiations resulted in concessions on both sides and they met somewhere in the middle…maybe a bit more to one side.

From all that's been posted on here about the strike it seems obvious that most of you have never negotiated a contract. Certainly not as an employee.

 

[RULoyal]

Over/under on tuition increase next year that the same protestors will be screaming about.

 

[retired711]

I enjoy all of the contributions @retired711 has brought to this site.

Thank you for sticking around.👍

Thank you for the (undeserved!) compliment!!

 

[RUBlackout7]

Over/under on tuition increase next year that the same protestors will be screaming about.

The students are completely oblivious and get taken advantage of for it

 

[retired711]

I didn’t read it (calling myself out as I say)…as it probably should be. The unions want A (usually more than they expect to receive) and the University wants Z (usually less than they’re willing to go but a starting point). I assume negotiations resulted in concessions on both sides and they met somewhere in the middle…maybe a bit more to one side.

You're right. I think, though,, that a key question is whether the union leadership and membership believe that this strike worked well enough that the union ought to strike the next time negotations go badly. That depends on whether the union thinks it won.

 

[cyrock3]

The students are completely oblivious and get taken advantage of for it

They’ll blame it on athletics.

 

[GoodOl'Rutgers]

Ha! They didn't want to protest in 90-degree weather! Holloway should have waited until the heat broke.

 

[MADHAT1]

You're right. I think, though,, that a key question is whether the union leadership and membership believe that this strike worked well enough that the union ought to strike the next time negotations go badly. That depends on whether the union thinks it won.

actually strikes are the weapon of last resort so let's hope both management and labor decided to settle their differences and be more ready to compromise so the contract is settled without a strike or lockout happening when this bargaining agreement expires .
The goal of both union and management isn't winning or losing when the negotiating ends and contract agreed upon.
The goal of all parties should be ,and usually is, a fair and equatable bargaining agreement that both sides are satisfied with and helps build for a stronger commitment to negotiate the next agreement in good faith without the need for threats of a strike by the Union or a Lockout by RU

The idea of winning an losing only makes those not privy to what went on look at the ending of " hostilities" in the wrong light because they only see the strike but not why the negotiations became so bogged down that the union felt the avenue of last resort had to come into play or why RU felt so strongly about their position and didn't awant to change itthey felt they had to put up with the union striking .

 

[NealPageNJ]

In the long run this will probably be a good thing for everyone. It looks like the staff are receiving reasonable compensation which is good for the staff, students and taxpayers. It also reflects another step towards formally merging the many entities that were piecemealed under the RU umbrella over a number of years.

 

[newell138]

In the long run this will probably be a good thing for everyone. It looks like the staff are receiving reasonable compensation which is good for the staff, students and taxpayers. It also reflects another step towards formally merging the many entities that were piecemealed under the RU umbrella over a number of years.

How will the forthcoming tuition hikes to pay for this be good for the students?

 

[RUBlackout7]

In the long run this will probably be a good thing for everyone. It looks like the staff are receiving reasonable compensation which is good for the staff, students and taxpayers. It also reflects another step towards formally merging the many entities that were piecemealed under the RU umbrella over a number of years.

How is it good for students and taxpayers again?

 

[greenknight]

The students won. That is all that matters. Any other discussion on this will lead to uncivil and irrelevant bickering as well as cheap shots at unions and professors.

Students won, teachers won...parents paying tuition lost as tuition will go up for all

 

[T2Kplus20]

Holloway folds like a cheap suit. RU heading towards a financial crisis while "leadership" helps speed it along.

 

[cyrock3]

Holloway folds like a cheap suit. RU heading towards a financial crisis while "leadership" helps speed it along.

I told you on the other thread. The PR war was lost when the pictures of the frat boys supporting the strike went viral. He was
going to have to fold at that point.

 

[NealPageNJ]

How will the forthcoming tuition hikes to pay for this be good for the students?

Fair question by you and @RUBlackout7 . My point was the raises seem reasonable compared to what the original demands were. Students and taxpayers will be paying more. You’re right on that.

 

[RULoyal]

Students won, teachers won...parents paying tuition lost as tuition will go up for all

Not sure what the students “won” other than the ability to resume the education they were being deprived of by the strikers. Not sure I’d call that a win.

 

[retired711]

actually strikes are the weapon of last resort so let's hope both management and labor decided to settle their differences and be more ready to compromise so the contract is settled without a strike or lockout happening when this bargaining agreement expires .
The goal of both union and management isn't winning or losing when the negotiating ends and contract agreed upon.
The goal of all parties should be ,and usually is, a fair and equatable bargaining agreement that both sides are satisfied with and helps build for a stronger commitment to negotiate the next agreement in good faith without the need for threats of a strike by the Union or a Lockout by RU

The idea of winning an losing only makes those not privy to what went on look at the ending of " hostilities" in the wrong light because they only see the strike but not why the negotiations became so bogged down that the union felt the avenue of last resort had to come into play or why RU felt so strongly about their position and didn't awant to change itthey felt they had to put up with the union striking .

Yes, probably "win" and "lose" are the wrong terms. The key, as you indicate, is what the parties learned for the future. Does the union think that striking proved to be the right tactic? Does the university think it needs to change its negotiating style? We'll see what the next set of negotiations brings.

 

[newell138]

Not sure what the students “won” other than the ability to resume the education they were being deprived of by the strikers. Not sure I’d call that a win.

Well they do get to take out more student loans next year

 

[T2Kplus20]

Well they do get to take out more student loans next year

Tuition is going up, up, up to pay for this awful deal.

 

[retired711]

Well they do get to take out more student loans next year

This depends on whether Murphy and the legislature are willing to raise state appropriations to Rutgers to cover the cost of the deal. There have been hints that Murphy committed to that as part of the dealmaking process.

 

[retired711]

This depends on whether Murphy and the legislature are willing to raise state appropriations to Rutgers to cover the cost of the deal. There have been hints that Murphy committed to that as part of the dealmaking process.

Keep in mind also that a lot of the university's budget comes from grants by the federal government and that grants include money to pay the researchers (including grad students). This will help pay for the increased wages to grad students and post-docs.

The percentage increase for part-timers looks high -- but part-timers make so little that the cost of the increase isn't that much.

Finally, the increase for faculty isn't particularly high in comparison to past settlements, especially once inflation is taken into account.

There is really no reason for this settlement to have a significant impact on tuition. Again, I think the strike shouldn't have been called -- but this doesn't look like an outrageous settlement

 

[RUskoolie]

Tuition is going up, up, up to pay for this awful deal.

It should go up 10% they have kept it flat the last few years while inflation soared. I told that to Holloway personally but the BOG ultimately decides it seems.

 

[RU848789]

From all that's been posted on here about the strike it seems obvious that most of you have never negotiated a contract. Certainly not as an employee.

I have, multiple times - not exactly "fun" but certainly interesting...

 

[mdk01]

It should go up 10% they have kept it flat the last few years while inflation soared. I told that to Holloway personally but the BOG ultimately decides it seems.

That's more than Purdue's has gone up in the last 10 years

 

[Proud NJ Sports Fan]

Tuition is going up, up, up to pay for this awful deal.

Tax Payers gonna feel the brunt too?

 

[retired711]

Tax Payers gonna feel the brunt too?

State appropriations to Rutgers amount to about 2% of the New Jersey budget. And of course salaries are a fraction of that.