Join UCAN-NJIT

Now is the time to join the United Council of Academics at NJIT. You can download and print the membership application and return it to a campus representative or mail to:

AFTNJ
629 Amboy Ave., Third Floor
Edison, NJ 08837
attn: UCAN-NJIT

The UCAN bargaining team has been negotiating with NJIT’s management team to address your concerns about working conditions and reappointment. As a result, rumors have been circulating from both faculty and students about changes to the reappointment policies and practices. They are not true. Nothing has been finalized. And nothing will be finalized about reappointment until the negotiations process is complete.

The negotiatinos process will take more time. Rest assured, UCAN’s bargaining team is not interested in changes that will significantly harm your abilities to be reappointed as a TA or RA. However, we are hoping to change some of the past practices that have cause hardship and concern from many TAs and RAs. These include: disparity in pay, uncertaintly or reappointment from year to year, unequal and unfair expectations of work hours. Now that you are unionized, you will have a say in the process, unlike last year.

As a UCAN member, you will have the ability to review and vote on any new contract language related to reappointment and other working conditions. Click on the “membership” link above for more information about becoming a member of UCAN.

After a successful organizing campaign in spring 2010, the AFT assisted RAs, TAs and full-time researchers with developing contract proposals and preparing for bargaining with NJIT’s administration. The AFT notified NJIT of its intent to negotiate a first contract over the summer of 2010. NJIT agreed to negotiate starting in early fall 2010 and bargaining dates were scheduled.

Meanwhile, a bargaining team was established through volunteer feedback from TAs, RAs and full-time researchers. The team met regularly until the first bargaining session to develop proposals, and perform research on issues like work hours, appointment/reappointment, health insurance, etc. Here are your bargaining team members:

• Nicholas Carlson, Teaching Assistant, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Megan Damcott, Research Assistant, Biomedical Engineering
• Richelle Fiore, National Representative, AFT
• Gordana Obuskovic, Research Associate, Membrane Separations and Biotechnology Program
• Gregory Rusciano, Staff Representative, AFT New Jersey

To reach a member of the bargaining team with a question, click on the “contact us” link above and someone will get back to you shortly.

Your bargaining team has worked tirelessly to address issues and concerns that were identified during the organizing campaign. These major issues were identified by TAs, RAs and full-time research staff:

• Employment stability for international graduate students
• Poor health insurance plan
• Irregular and arbitrary appointment and reappointment of TAs and RAs
• Irregular and arbitrary pay and job classifications among Postdoctural Associates, Research Associates, and Research Scientists/Engineers/Architects from different departments
• Unreasonable work hours and expectations required by supervisors

In addition, your bargaining team developed proposals that address common requirements for unions: dues collection, union rights, grievance and arbitration procedures, just cause, and more.

Overall, the NJIT and UCAN bargaining teams have been making progress. Bargaining sessions have been conducted about every two weeks since November 2010 and have led to agreements on several proposals to date. A final and complete contract must be approved by UCAN members before it can go into effect.

The PSA/AAUP is the largest union at NJIT representing more than 700 faculty, professional staff, and university lecturers.  You may not know it, but you likely work with our members on a daily basis.  Our members include Associate Deans, Department Chairpersons, full-time instructors, faculty program directors, department administrators, and other professional staff from departments like financial aid and academic computing.

The PSA has been in existence since the early 1970’s and remains a strong and effective unit.  The PSA negotiates the terms and conditions of employment for its members with the administration.  The PSA/AAUP has been successful at negotiating competitive pay and benefits for our members.  Most recently, the PSA successfully negotiated an agreement, covering the period through June 30, 2011, that includes pay increases, and improves job security for many of our members.

The PSA/AAUP serves as an advocate and voice for its members.  The collective agreement allows for basic workplace expectations and entitles its members to due process.  The PSA works hard to achieve the best results for its members and ultimately for the good of the university. Because the PSA/AAUP and its members have experienced first-hand the benefits of collective bargaining, we would support an NJIT group seeking representation and the entitlements of a voice in the workplace.  Together, we all can make a positive difference.

The PSA/AAUP. Approved: April 1, 2010.