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For many months, AFT has been organizing among non-professional administrative employees at Rutgers
In addition to Menendez, the panel consists of US Representatives Chris Smith (R-4) and Frank Pallone (D-7), State Assemblymen Joseph Malone (R-30) and Gary Schaer (D-36), Dr. Patrice Mareschal, Rutger’s professor & AFT member, Michelle Geban, Rutgers student and Monsignor Gilchrist, a Catholic cleric long associated with labor causes. All expressed their strong support for the right to organize and their determination to ensure that Rutgers respects it. Many also expressed their support for the Employee Free Choice Act, federal legislation that would ease union organizing in the private sector by introduce a “card check” system similar to that which exists in New Jersey.
These dignitaries will be entrusted with monitoring and enforcing the neutrality agreement and will issue a report on this matter to Rutgers President McCormick, the NJ Congressional delegation and Legislature. The audience of about 200 people included Rutgers employees, labor leaders and other interested parties. The Council was represented by Dr. Dierdre Paul, Executive Vice President, Council Legislative Representative Jon Erickson, Managing Staff Representative Steve Young and Staff Representative Bennett Muraskin. |
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Senator Menendez and Distinguished Panel Lend Their Voices to AFT's Organizing Effort at Rutgers 
Building on a recent visit by Governor Jon Corzine & two key NJ legislators to support administrative employees’ rights to choose a union and the recent neutrality agreement reached between AFT organizers and Rutger’s University, a distinguished panel led by US Senator Bob Menendez convened at the Rutgers University Labor Education Center on February 12 to declare their support for the Rutgers administrative employees’ right to organize into a union.
who currently have no union representation. Under new legislation enacted under the McGreevey administration covering public sector labor relations, a union need only collect authorization cards from a majority of the proposed bargaining unit in order to gain employer recognition.
Recently Rutgers management initiated an anti-union campaign aimed at intimidating employees and preventing union organizers from freely communicating their message. In response, the AFT, working closely with the State AFL-CIO, contacted the Governor’s office. Consistent with Governor Corzine’s strong commitment to collective bargaining, he used his good offices to persuade Rutgers University President McCormick to sign a neutrality agreement. This agreement, effective January 25, commits Rutgers to refrain from interfering in any way with the ongoing organizing drive. 
The panelists heard from three Rutgers employees involved in the unionization effort who testified to the coercive tactics used by Rutgers management before the neutrality agreement and on the freer environment that this agreement has produced. 