The America’s Work Force Union Podcast welcomed Todd Vachon, Executive Council Member of Rutgers American Association of University Professors, American Federation of Teachers, who spoke about the current strike at Rutgers University.
After no progress was made in 10 months of negotiations with Rutgers University, the three major faculty unions, Rutgers AAUP-AFT, Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union and American Association of University Professors Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey (AAUP-BHSNJ), voted in solidarity to approve a strike, he said. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy felt compelled to intervene in the strike and is hosting negotiations for both parties after Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway threaten legal action against the unions.
Vachon estimated there are approximately 9,000 union members on the picket line, which includes full-time professors, adjunct professors, part-time staff, medical students and counselors. In the first three days of the strike, support poured in from local and national unions, including local construction workers who stopped work on the campus as they refused to cross the picket line. The public support has been a morale boost and helped strengthen the resolve of every worker on the picket line, Vachon added.
He explained that the goals of the strike are to improve the lives of part-time staff and professors. Over the last decade, many full-time teaching positions replaced by adjunct professors. Other goals include job security, race and gender equity and a fair salary increase.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.