HPAE United@UMDNJ

HPAE's Analysis of Christie's Plan for UMDNJ: "The Devil is in the Details"
February 10, 2012

Governor Christie's Advisory Committee for UMDNJ issued a comprehensive set of proposals on the restructuring of UMDNJ. But many of their recommendations lacked specificity and detail. Before we can assess the impact of the restructuring plan on the community and UMDNJ employees, many questions must be answered.
Read the Key Questions That Must Be Answered


Video on the Future of UMDNJ
January 26, 2012

Watch a news report on the future of UMDNJ and our conversation with the new Attorney General – what are his priorities?
View the Video


HPAE, Community Groups Demand Governor Put Patients First and Protect University Hospital
January 25, 2012

HPAE is part of a broad coalition calling on Governor Christie to weigh the impact on public health and patient care in enacting the UMDNJ Advisory Committee's final recommendations.
Read the Statement Issued by HPAE and other Groups


Cunningham Statement on UMDNJ Committee Report
January 25, 2012
TRENTON -- Senator Sandra Bolden Cunningham (D-Hudson), Chairwoman of the Senate Higher Education Committee, released the following statement today in response to the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Advisory Committee report:
Read more


Governor's UMDNJ Merger Committee Issues Their Final Report
January 25, 2012

At a press conference held today, Governor Christie announced the findings of a final report issued by an Advisory Committee on the status of UMDNJ. An interim report was issued September 20, 2011.

Key findings of the report and remarks from the press conference are:

1. The State will maintain ownership of University Hospital, but there will be a public/private partnership in which the hospital will be managed by a private entity.

2. The findings of the Interim Report, which called for the transfor of Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the Cancer Institute, and the School of Public Health to Rutgers University, were reaffirmed.

3. The remaining schools and entities of UMDNJ - including the New Jersey Medical School, the School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey and University Behavioral Health Care - will become parts of a "New Jersey Health Sciences University" based in Newark, NJ.

4. There will be a consolidation of Rutgers University in Camden under the banner of Rowan University--all RU Camden assets will go to Rowan.

5. The Governor said the costs of these changes will be absorbed by the universities, but he believes they will be revenue neutral.

6. Regarding the workforce, the Governor stated, "We aren't eliminating anything, we are reorganizing--it is up to management in dealing with the workforce."

7. Governor Christie has not decided whether he will accomplish these changes by Executive Order or whether they will require legislation. He clearly stated he wants the mergers and reorganization to occur this year.

Read the Final Report
View Governor Christie's Statement at the Press Conference
Read State Senator Cunningham's Statement on the Report


Essex County Politicians Demand that UMDNJ, University Hospital Stay in Newark
November 18, 2011

At a press conference today, Newark Mayor Coorey Booker, Essex County Executive Joe Di'Vincenzo, and other Essex County politicians demanded that UMDNJ and University Hospital stay in Newark. They put forward a statement of principles to guide any future reorganization of UMDNJ.
Read an Article on the Press Conference
Read the Principles


Hundreds pack UMDNJ Advisory Committee hearing. Questions about future of the University remain unanswered.

Posted October 18, 2011

On Thursday, October 13, in a massive outpouring of support, over 300 UMDNJ employees, union members, students, elected officials and concerned community members attended a public hearing in Newark about the future of the University.

Despite public comment and questions from over 40 people, the Advisory Committee offered no new answers or details about the Governor’s plans to dismantle UMDNJ or the possible privatization of University Hospital.

A number of HPAE members and leaders addressed the committee including, HPAE Local 5094 Co-President, Tom Murphy, who presented the Committee with a petition of over 2,000 UMDNJ nurses and professionals expressing our concern about the merger.

HPAE members and staff are meeting with elected officials and community leaders to fight for the services we provide and to protect our contract and our jobs.

Couldn’t attend the hearing?

If you couldn’t attend the hearing, you can still make your voice heard. Submit comments through email at publiccomment@gov.state.nj.us. Tell the Committee: Stop the rush to a merger! Maintain the services we provide! Guarantee a voice for the community and employees in the process!

HPAE Members Speak Out

Posted October 18, 2011

Elmer Daniels RN, Case Manager, UH-Newark
“When you start thinking about University Hospital and the School of Medicine, let’s really stop looking at a snapshot; let’s look at the whole picture. Let’s look at what we’ve already done to elevate these standards and how we can move forward to improve them. Which we will, we’re the University – THE University.”
Click here to watch video

Tom Murphy, Research Teaching Specialist, NJMS-Newark
“I often wondered why they looked at what would make Rutgers great but why they didn’t look at what would make UMDNJ great… How are you going to pay for it? What I hear is [by] taking the existing budgets of already strapped colleges to pay the enormous cost of the merger.”
Click here to watch video

Kathleen Eannone RN, Staff Nurse, UBHC-Piscataway
The nurses and the staff in New Brunswick and Piscataway want to know when they [the Advisory Committee] are coming to meet us in New Brunswick.”
Click here to watch video

Diana Crowder, Industrial Hygienist, EOHS-Newark
I have concerns that so much of the planning to dismantle UMDNJ is being done behind closed doors… What review has this committee done… in order to assess the financial impact the dismantling of UMDNJ will have on services, jobs and on business in this community?”
Click here to watch video

Diane De Santis, Program Assistant, Ophthalmology, NJMS -Newark
“I am in the ironic position of being a parent of a Rutgers-Newark student. Does that mean I’m going to pay a tuition increase? ... Am I going to have to pay as a parent to fund a University take-over of where I work?”
Click here to watch video

Local 5094 President Tom Murphy presents petitions and gives a statement at the Advisory Committee Hearing on October 13th

HPAE Raises Issues About the Reorganization of UMDNJ
October 11, 2011

An HPAE position paper analyzes the current proposals to reorganize UMDNJ and raises serious concerns about the potentially negative impact on research, teaching, services to the community, and the rights of employees.
Read the Position Paper


Governor Christie's UMDNJ Announcement
Posted September 20, 2011

Today, Governor Christie announced that he will be merging Robert Wood Johnson Medical School (including the Cancer Institute of New Jersey) and the School of Public Health with Rutgers University through an executive order. The Governor indicated that no decisions about the future of University Hospital and the Newark Campus have been made yet pending the recommendation of the UMDNJ Advisory Committee.

HPAE is researching and analyzing these developments both in terms of their legality and the effect they could have on our members. Most immediately HPAE is working to ensure that our jobs, wages, benefits and seniority are protected.

We will keep you up to date on any new developments.

Click here to read the UMDNJ Interim Report

Legislators, HPAE Local Presidents Demand Additional Public Hearings on UMD Meger Proposal
September 2, 2011

The committee that will make recommendations regarding the merger or reorganization of UMDNJ has held only one public hearing, and the deadline for submission of their report to Governor Christie has just passed. In a letter to the committee's chair, Dr. Sol Barer, Senator Joseph Vitale and Assemblyman Craig Coughlin urged that additional public hearings be held. The Presidents of the three HPAE locals at UMDNJ sent a similar letter to Dr. Barer.

Read the Vitale and Coughlin Letter
Read the HPAE Presidents' Letter


HPAE Members Speak Out at Hearing of UMDNJ Advisory Committee

Posted July 27, 2011

On Tuesday night, Governor Christie’s UMDNJ Advisory Committee convened its first public hearing in Newark. As suggested in the Kean Higher Education Task Force Report, the advisory committee was created to develop recommendations for the proposed plan to re-organize UMDNJ--including a possible merger of RWJMS and SPH with Rutgers. The committee is expected to submit its report to the Governor this September.

A number of HPAE members attended the hearing and raised concerns to the committee about the fate of University Hospital, the impact on services provided by UMDNJ to the community, the potential costs of a restructuring of UMDNJ, and the impact on the University’s employees. Click here to read a statement submitted to the committee. The committee was also criticized for the short notice of the hearing, which was only announced on Friday. The committee contends that no decisions have been made yet.

The hearing was covered by the Star Ledger; HPAE Local 5089 President, Elmer Daniels, and HPAE Local 5094 Co-Secretary, Barbara Andrew-Jenkins, are both quoted. Click here to read the article.

Speak out at UMDNJ Advisory Committee Public Hearing on Monday, July 25

Posted July 22, 2011

On Monday, July 25 we will have an opportunity to voice our opinion about the proposed reorganization of UMDNJ at a public hearing of the UMDNJ Advisory Committee in Newark.

As you know, Governor' Christie's Higher Education Task Force has recommended significant changes to UMDNJ including merging RWJMS with Rutgers and UMDNJ has begun exploratory discussions with Saint Barnabas Health Care System. These developments leave unresolved questions about the future of University Hospital, New Jersey Medical School, the School of Osteopathic Medicine, UBHC, UCHC and the fate of other University Units and Departments.

Gov Christie's UMDNJ Advisory Committee is expected to release a report in September with its final recommendations. We are deeply concerned about any effort to reorganize and reshape UMDNJ without public transparency and without meaningful input from employees and their unions. This public hearing is an opportunity for us to have our voice heard in this process.

Join us on Monday, July 25 from 6:00 – 9:00 pm at the Essex County Leroy F. Smith Public Safety Building, 60 Nelson Place in Newark.

Will you attend? Click here to let us know.

Your efforts to help influence the future of UMDNJ are even more crucial now.

HPAE United@UMDNJ Campaign

Leaders from all three HPAE local unions at UMDNJ - Local 5089 (RNs), Local 5094 (non-nursing professional staff), and Local 5135 (UCHC RNs)- have launched a new campaign in the face of the proposed restructuring of UMDNJ, the general assault on public employees, and UMDNJ management's refusal to bargain in good faith.

The leaders agreed on a set of principles for the campaign and have implemented a petition drive to get at least 2000 HPAE members to endorse these principles.

Click here to download and sign the petition.

What We Stand For:

Politicians are rapidly moving to dismantle UMDNJ and merge various units with other universities and organizations. The critical services currently provided by UMDNJ are in danger of being reduced or completely eliminated.

As employees at the frontline of delivering vital services to our communities and as taxpayers, we declare that WE STAND FOR THESE PRINCIPLES.

Maintain the services, research and medical education that UMDNJ presently provides.

Stop the rush to a merger that is being orchestrated behind closed doors. There must be full transparency and meaningful input from employees and their unions.

No additional tax burden to New Jersey’s working families should result from a reorganization.

University Hospital, a public institution, should not be given away to a private entity.

Our right to collective bargaining, to have a voice regarding our wages, benefits, and working conditions should be guaranteed.

Stalled negotiations should be resolved in a timely, fair and reasonable manner.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is HPAE United@UMDNJ?

HPAE United@UMDNJ is a coalition of the three HPAE locals at UMDNJ, who together represent 4,000 UMDNJ employees in locations throughout New Jersey. It was created to respond to the unprecedented challenges that employees are facing at an institution on the verge of reorganization and merger.

Is the Union opposed to the merger/restructuring of UMDNJ?

No. The Union wants a better UMDNJ. In order to achieve that we advocate for the following principles: Services provided by UMDNJ must be maintained and any reorganization should not cost tax payers more money, University Hospital in Newark should remain a public institution, our collective bargaining rights over wages, benefits and working conditions need to be guaranteed and outstanding negotiations must be resolved.

How will the merger/reorganization affect me?

The proposed restructuring can potentially affect every employee of UMDNJ. While the details are still unknown and pending the recommendations of Governor Christie's UMDNJ Advisory Committee, here are some possibilities based on the report:

University Hospital may be given to a private company. UH employees would not be eligible for the State Health and Pension Plan. A private employer is not required to hire incumbent staff.

Central Administration was the target of much criticism in Gov. Christie’s Task Force report. Which departments would be eliminated and who would be laid off is an open question.

If RWJMS and SPH (and possibly the School of Nursing) merge with Rutgers, will seniority and other conditions of employment be maintained? Some employees may even become “at will employees” without any right to representation.

Like RWJMS above, if NJMS and NJDS are taken over by NJIT, there is no requirement to maintain wages, benefits, seniority and other working conditions and may all need to be renegotiated. Further if NJMS is left to stand alone its ability to attract students, faculty, staff and grants would be diminished.

UBHC and UCHC were not even addressed in the committee report. However, UCHC will continue to be susceptible to privatization and government intervention as illustrated by the recent layoffs.

Why should I sign the petition?

Because if we stand together we can create the opening to help shape this debate. Our Union is comprised of staff from all of UMDNJ’s Schools and Units and each will be impacted differently by the proposed changes. Governor Christie’s plan is to divide us – our principles can unite us. We can’t expect elected officials, the community, and the media to support us if we don’t enter this decision process.

Who will receive the petition?

The petition will be used as a tool to educate our elected officials. The decision to restructure UMDNJ is a political decision and will be made by politicians and their appointees who have little or no knowledge in medical education, research or patient care. We have an opportunity to shape the debate and raise questions that are not being asked and ensure that the process is fair and the outcome is beneficial for everyone. If we don’t do it ourselves, no one will do it for us.

What will we do next?

When we reach 2,000 signatures, we will take our United@UMDNJ campaign public. In June, we will hold a press conference and rally with community and political leaders to release our petition, kicking-off an extensive political action campaign in the Summer and Fall to urge elected officials to commit to our principles. We are also reaching out to other Unions at UMDNJ to join us and sign-on to our principles.