Reporting on Labor & Unions

First teaching strike in U. history to begin across all Rutgers campuses

Three unionized faculty groups across all Rutgers campuses will begin a work stoppage on April 10 at 9 a.m., marking the first teaching strike in the University's 257-year history.

The Daily Targum's coverage on this topic is particularly notable for being the first of its kind in the nation.

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Faculty strike day 1: Adjunct faculty, graduate students provide their picket line perspectives

Members of the University community detail their experiences during the first day of the Spring 2023 labor strike.

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Faculty strike day 3: Contract negotiations continue at state capital

Rutgers faculty union members and allies continued to picket on all campuses as the University's first teaching strike moved into its third day. In addition to the picket lines, live events were held on the College Avenue campus, which included a drag show and music performances.

Away from on-campus demonstrations, contract negotiations continued in Trenton, where the University administration, Rutgers faculty unions and mediators continued to work toward a resolution and an end to the strike.

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Faculty strike day 5: Picketers bring demonstrations to state capital

As the University's teaching strike entered its fifth day, picketing demonstrations occurred on the Newark, New Brunswick and Camden campuses and also in the city of Trenton.

Across all picketing locations, the Rutgers chapter of the American Association of University Professors and American Federation of Teachers (AAUP-AFT), the Rutgers Adjunct Faculty Union (PTLFC) and the American Association of University Professors at the Biomedical and Health Sciences of New Jersey (AAUP–BHSNJ) engaged in various artistic presentations.

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Exploitation or equity? Faculty reactions to new labor contract

Fall 2023 marks the first semester with Rutgers' new faculty contract in place after it was passed in the aftermath of a historic faculty labor strike last semester, which lasted from April 10 to April 15.

The Daily Targum spoke with faculty members affected by the new contract to explore the events preceding the strike, as well as the impact this new contract has on those governed by it.

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Bernie Sanders leads panel, striking RWJUH nurses rally at Rutgers

On Friday, the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions conducted a field hearing at Nicholas Music Center on Douglass campus to address the concerns of unionized nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH).

Members of the Senate committee who attended included Committee Chair Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Ranking Member Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.).

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Nursing union at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital begins labor strike

On Friday, more than 1,600 unionized nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) began a labor strike following a vote authorizing the stoppage last month.

United Steel Workers Local 4-200 (USW) members, which include part and full-time nursing staff, have been working without a contract since June 30. Negotiations continued for three months without resolution, as previously reported by The Daily Targum.

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Nurses' union at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital authorizes strike

Unionized nurses at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) voted to authorize a labor strike, according to an article from My Central Jersey.

The vote, which was finalized on Monday, came less than a month after the union's contracts expired on June 30 and after three months of negotiations.

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Rutgers P4P advocates for reimbursement, compensation for mandatory social work internships

Payments for Placements (P4P) is a nationwide student-led union advocating for students in the field of social work to be fairly compensated for completing internships that are required for them to graduate.

The Daily Targum recently met with members of the Rutgers P4P chapter to discuss the purpose of placements, the challenges social work students face in being paid for completing them and the implications the current placement system has for their mental and physical well-being.

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Rutgers P4P makes gains in advocacy through rally in New York City, meeting with department officials

Earlier this month, the Rutgers chapter of Payment for Placements (P4P) co-hosted a Day of Action by chapters at various New York universities.

P4P chapters across the Northeast have been experiencing certain gains. The P4P chapter at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College was able to lobby for a reduction in the hours they work to the national average.

Back at Rutgers, members of the University's P4P chapter recently presented the results of a survey in which alumni and current Rutgers School of Social Work students shared their experiences participating in these placements.

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