Updates

A message from your HPAE Local 5094 Co-Presidents

July 23, 2010

Today members of HPAE Local 5089 and Local 5094, Registered Nurses and Health Professionals at UMDNJ, had 1.5% of their salary deducted in order to participate in the State Health Benefits Program -- in effect, causing a cut in take home pay for 4,000 HPAE members.

This did not have to happen!

We have made every effort to negotiate a reasonable settlement with UMDNJ that takes in to consideration their financial situation, but would also offset the impact of the 1.5% health benefits contribution.

The University refused to consider any alternative. Every proposal we offered was rejected by them.

We've filed charges with the NJ Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) against UMDNJ for bad faith bargaining. We continue to pursue the charges vigorously.

This administration has shown utter contempt for its employees, our unions and the collective bargaining process. We have not received a raise in three years and they refuse to bargain in good faith. To add insult to injury, Dr Owen has expressed his "special concern" about the impact of the state's new cap on pension contributions on UMDNJ's highest salary earners - those making over $141,000 - with no mention or regard for the impact of the 1.5% deduction on the vast majority of UMD's employees and their families.

If UMDNJ wants to retain qualified staff and avoid a further deterioration in morale, management needs to not only do what they are legally required to do -- they need to do the right thing. They need to treat their staff with the respect that we deserve, by negotiating a fair and reasonable contract.

In Solidarity,

Tom Murphy Co-President (Newark)
Judy Cunha, Co-President (Central/South)

June 24, 2010

Barbara Andrews-Jenkins and Other HPAE Members Stood Up for a Fair Budget - see what she had to say:

A message from your HPAE Local 5094 Officers and Representatives

May 19, 2010

For three years we have fought off attempts to require us to pay a contribution towards our health benefits. Now, a new law signed by Governor Christie, requires ALL public and state employees to contribute 1.5% of BASE pay for health insurance premiums beginning May 22, 2010. However, because we are covered by an existing Collective Bargaining Agreement, the deduction will not begin until July 1, 2010 - after our contract expires.

Last week, our HPAE Local 5094 Negotiating Committee submitted an official proposal to UMDNJ?s management in an effort to settle the wage "re-opener" negotiations and offset the inevitable 1.5% deduction for our health benefits.

Our proposal called for:

• All employees to receive a step increase effective the last full pay period of June 2010. [A step increase is on average 1.7% and would offset the 1.5% health benefits contribution].
• Employees to begin to contribute 1.5% of their base salary toward health insurance contributions effective July 1, 2010 [as mandated by legislation].
• Increased layoff notice, increased subcontracting notice and a guarantee of no furloughs. [These provisions have already been discussed and agreed to during negotiations].
• Extending the contract by one year until June 30, 2011.

Click here to read the proposal in its entirety

Despite how reasonable we believe our position is, and despite our willingness to make some concessions, extend the contract and accept a wage freeze for the 2011 fiscal year, UMDNJ management rejected our proposal and continues to demonstrate their disregard for the professional staff.

By rejecting our proposal, and furthermore, by indicating that they will not consider an extension of the current contract -
even without any form of a salary increase - UMDNJ has effectively ensured that their staff will see a reduction in their take home pay. For purely political considerations, they have sacrificed the economic security and economic well-being of their staff.

We previously filed an Unfair Practice Charge against UMDNJ when they stopped negotiating and took everything off the table in December. When they agreed to continue discussions and "negotiate in good faith" we placed the complaint on hold. It is clear again, that UMDNJ is not making a good-faith effort to settle the contract and we will continue to pursue the Unfair Practice Charge with the NJ Public Employment Relations Commission.

Membership meetings are being scheduled for all campuses in the next few weeks to provide more information and discuss our plans and strategy going forward.

In Solidarity,

Tom Murphy Co-President (Newark)
Judy Cunha, Co-President (Central/South)

HPAE Nurses Give Testimony to the Assembly Appropriations Committee Concerning Effects of Proposed Pension Cuts

Futilely attempting to derail a bipartisan bill that would eliminate accidental and ordinary disability retirement for PERS employees, nurses and probation workers bashed the legislature and Democrats - then savaged Christie for - in their view - disrespecting their ranks in his budget speech. "I have been kicked, stabbed... I guy with a black belt wrote he was going to assassinate us," said Barbara Esser, a public employee nurse at Reynolds Hospital. "The double-dipping and other games have nothing to do with us, and I totally resent being characterized as a greedy, selfish public employee." Click here to read what nurses had to say

2009 Officer Election Results

The following HPAE Local 5094 members have been elected as officers for a two-year term:
Co-Presidents
Thomas Murphy - Northern Campus
Judy Cunha - Central/Southern Campus
Co-Secretaries
Barbara Andrews-Jenkins - Northern Campus
Willie Choice - Central/Southern Campus
Treasurer
Corinne Swass-Fogarty
Congratulations to the winners.
Thank you to everyone who participated.

HPAE 5094 Update: Management Refuses to Bargain

We have continued in our effort to settle the contract re-opener with UMDNJ. In December, we discussed with the University a significantly modified,
reduced wage offer that we believed was more than reasonable and would finally settle the contract in the fairest way possible for our members.

We have since been informed that UMDNJ senior management has made the determination to "put off all negotiations" and "put nothing on the table"
due to their concerns over the budget and the incoming administration. The same message was conveyed to other UMDNJ unions as well.

We are dealing with an administration that has shown no interest in resolving the contract re-opener and a complete disregard for the professional staff that make UMD work. The union is filing an Unfair Practice Charge with the NJ Public Employees Relation Commission for management's refusal to bargain. We are also planning membership meetings later in the month to provide a more detailed update and outline our next steps. Details are forthcoming.

Local Officers List

Co-Presidents - Tom Murphy (Newark) / Judy Cunha (New Brunswick, Piscataway, Stratford)
Co-Secretaries - Willie Choice (New Brunswick, Piscataway, Stratford) / Barbara Andrews-Jenkins (Newark)
Treasurer - Corinne Swass-Fogarty
Co-Grievance Chair - Carmelo Colon (Newark) / Christine Munck (New Brunswick, Piscataway, Stratford)

HPAE Staff Reps
Terry Alaimo - (PROs So. Campuses) (908) 687-5103 ext. 419
Michael Kunizaki - (PROs Newark) (201) 262-5005 ext. 146
Tammy McCalla - HPAE Support Staff (201) 262-5005 ext. 110

Officers and Representatives
To view this list, click here.