An Update on Labor Negotiations

March 6, 2023

Members of the Rutgers Community,

I am writing to you to provide context for the ongoing negotiations for new labor contracts between the university administration and the unions that represent our faculty and staff employees. As I stated in recent public meetings, I am committed to a contract that is fair, reasonable, and responsible to the thousands of people who work at Rutgers, to the students who pay tuition and learn here, and to our state partners who support the university.  

The administration has already met with our union negotiating teams 100 times and will meet with them another 100 times if that’s what it takes to reach agreements over contracts that are fair, reasonable, and responsible.  

Last week, the administration presented to our unions a new proposal for compensation that represents an increase of 10.75% over four years—a proposal that is consistent with the most recent four-year contract, negotiated in 2019. The first year’s proposed increase is 3%, retroactive to October 1, 2022. In addition, the university has proposed payment of a one-time lump-sum equal to 1% of base salary payable in FY ‘23.

In meeting our obligation to our students, our employees, the taxpayers, and our state partners, the university must balance the fair compensation of our employees with the impact on our students and their families. 

We are serious about providing salary increases even in a difficult budget. As I told the University Senate last month, I have directed almost all central administrative units to trim their budgets by as much as 9.5% for the next budget year, both to help address the current shortfall and to absorb anticipated wage increases for our faculty and staff that we expect related to the contracts we are negotiating.

I am aware that there is a vote underway that would authorize (but not call for) a labor strike. It is important to make clear that the authorization vote is not a vote to strike; it is a vote by union members to give union leaders the authority to call a strike if the leaders believe the negotiations are yielding no meaningful results. Union leaders have expressed that they do not want the situation to come to a strike. I am grateful for that expression, and I want to assure everyone that my team and I feel similarly. I remain hopeful that we will find a path forward together. 

Setting a new contract can be a difficult process, even in prosperous times, and I recognize that the uncertainty and protracted timeline of negotiations can be a source of frustration. But I know that both sides are deeply committed to Rutgers’ success, and I am grateful to the many people from the union and administration who are working hard to reach agreement on a new contract.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Holloway
President and University Professor