Part-time faculty at New Jersey’s largest technological university say they’re still prepared to go on strike if necessary – but that they’ve scored key concessions from school leaders, including better pay for adjunct professors.
Last week, the union representing adjunct professors, teaching and research assistants, graduate and post-graduate students at the New Jersey Institute of Technology announced that 98% of their membership voted to authorize a strike. That vote doesn’t start a walkout in itself, but means the union’s leadership could call one at any time. The two sides will be back at the table on Wednesday and Thursday for more negotiations, a union representative said.
Union members say they’re considering a strike because of the university management’s unwillingness to offer them pay raises and other benefits in 18 months of negotiations. But one day after the strike authorization vote, NJIT’s management “came to the table with a significant salary increase for adjuncts,” according to Sarah Reibstein, an adjunct professor in the Humanities and Social Sciences department who is part of the negotiations.
The bargaining unit represents 800 academics who teach or assist in the majority of the classes taught at the 11,000-student university, according to the union. The workers have been teaching and conducting research without a contract since their last deal expired in 2022.
Reibstein said the increase was “very close” to what Rutgers recently agreed to pay its adjunct professors in a deal that ended a five-day faculty-wide walkout over the summer. She didn’t specify a pay rate, but said pay comparable to that won by Rutgers adjuncts was “what we’re aiming for at the least.” Academics studying labor and higher education have suggested the Rutgers contract could embolden other unions to pursue gains for adjuncts and part-time educators as colleges and universities increasingly rely on part-timers to teach classes.
“I think the…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply