We called him back to continue the discussion and clarify if Rutgers planned to return to the session. He dared HPAE to file PERC charges and then he hung up the phone. We also reminded him that our local practiced open negotiations in previous negotiations sessions for prior contracts without objection from Rutgers or UMDNJ before that. Kanan that HPAE Local 5094 has been practicing open bargaining throughout these negotiation sessions without complaint or concern from the University. Kanan later called and stated the University would not be returning to the bargaining session because of the number of HPAE negotiations unit employees in the negotiations Zoom. When that did not happen, the Rutgers negotiation team left the Zoom link entirely to caucus. Abdel Kanan then stated the University would not talk to so many people and the University then attempted to enter a breakout room to caucus.

We explained that the negotiations team had not changed, and that general membership were in the gallery as in the previous 8 sessions. Our bargaining team and about 40 general members entered the virtual Zoom negotiations room, and the University instantly requested a caucus and questioned the bargaining team for Local 5094. We informed the University that a grievance counter proposal as well as a remote work proposal were still being reviewed and both parties agreed to meet for the University to present the wage counter proposal. We received a call from Rutgers (Abdel Kanan, Rutgers Labor Relations) stating the session would begin at 10:30am and the University would present a wage counter.

We were scheduled to bargain for a successor agreement on August 24, 2022, from 10am-1pm. Click the link below to sign the petition and show solidarity with your negotiations team. We need to you to collectively show Rutgers you stand behind our team. It is now more important than ever to get involved and support your negotiations team. Instantly the University reacted to this show of solidarity between the general membership and the bargaining unit. We had over 70 people log into our caucus space and 40 were able to move to the Rutgers Zoom session. We called for our membership to support the negotiations efforts and our membership came through at today’s session.

THE UNIVERSITY REFUSED TO MEET WITH US!!!!!!!!!!! HPAE local 5094 arrived on 8/24/22 for our tenth session of negotiations with Rutgers University.

My rutgers zoom