The AAUP Works For You! Recent AAUP Actions
- AAUP Negotiates for YOU
AAUP negotiates your terms and conditions of employment at UMDNJ in the form of an enforceable contract. The current contract is effective through June 30, 2009, and provides the average faculty member with 25.98% in across-the-board and merit salary increases for the term of the contract, including guaranteed annual salary increases. The current AAUP-UMDNJ contract contains many benefits and rights, including vacation and holiday entitlements, an appeal process for unsatisfactory performance evaluations, and job security provisions. You can view the entire 2004 – 2009 AAUP Contract on our website at www.aaupumdnj.org.
We will soon begin the process of gathering information and setting priorities for negotiating a successor agreement.
- AAUP Advocates Against Unilateral Modifications to YOUR Clinical Components and Other Monetary Benefits.
AAUP is pursuing an Unfair Practice Charge with the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission (NJ PERC) alleging UMDNJ violated the law when it unilaterally reduced the clinical components of faculty salaries without negotiation. The Charge was initially filed in February 2005 on behalf of one faculty member and was successfully amended in March 2007 to include a challenge to the salary reductions of 35 clinical faculty members whose salaries were reduced by as much as $120,000 for arbitrary reasons inconsistent with past practice. The hearing has allowed affected faculty members the opportunity to testify and have their evidence considered in establishing the past practice and in establishing the University’s violation of this past practice. Should AAUP prevail in its claim, all affected faculty will be made whole with a back pay award and the University will be obligated to negotiate over all future reductions to clinical components.
AAUP is also pursuing a grievance to arbitration on behalf of all faculty affected by clinical component reductions, alleging UMDNJ violated the AAUP contract on the grounds that such reductions are prohibited because (1) they constitute a discharge and new employment offer during the term of an existing appointment with a salary commitment and (2) the University failed to comply with the contractual non-renewal notice requirements. Should AAUP prevail in this arbitration, all affected faculty will be made whole with a back pay award.
In conjunction and in coordination with faculty at NJMS, AAUP developed and assisted in implementing a strategy that successfully assisted faculty threatened with clinical component reductions and reductions in other monetary benefits (such as on-call pay) in avoiding such reductions by as much as $700,000.
- AAUP Prevents the Unilateral Implementation of a 1.5% Faculty & Librarian Contribution to Health Insurance Benefits.
AAUP successfully challenged and prevented the University’s efforts to unilaterally implement a 1.5% faculty and librarian contribution to health insurance benefits that was to be effective June 27, 2007. As a result, the University rescinded its’ implementation of what constituted a 1.5% salary reduction; acknowledged that it may not seek a contribution from faculty and librarians until after June 30, 2009; and recognized that any future employee contribution must be negotiated with AAUP and may not be imposed unilaterally.
AAUP is currently challenging the University’s unilateral implementation of co-pay increases for doctor visits and prescription drugs via the AAUP’s contract grievance/arbitration procedure. Should AAUP prevail, all faculty and librarians will be reimbursed for all additional co-pay expenses resulting from the unilateral implementation of the co-pay increases.
- AAUP Provides YOU with Important Information & Advice.
AAUP answers your questions and helps you navigate UMDNJ in addressing problems regarding your employment.
AAUP has held informational meetings in Newark, Piscataway, New Brunswick and Stratford Campuses to educate faculty about the AAUP Contract, with a focus on compensation and job security issues. Additional informational meetings will be scheduled on a regular basis for new faculty. If you would like us to schedule a departmental or school meeting to discuss any issues that impact upon your employment at UMDNJ, please contact AAUP-UMDNJ at council@aaupumdnj.org, and we will work to accommodate your needs.
AAUP has also assisted faculty in reviewing their appointment letters to ensure their compliance with the AAUP contract and advised faculty how they can preserve their right to challenge future unilateral modifications to their terms and conditions of employment via their appointment letter.
- AAUP Advocates for “Scholarly Capacity” Exception to New Jersey State Ethics Code
AAUP and UMDNJ have worked together to address the application of New Jersey Ethics/Conflict of Interest rules, policies and procedures to you, including those that relate to honoraria, travel expenses and outside employment. These efforts have resulted in proposed ethics regulations that we hope will soon exempt you from some of the onerous restrictions of the New Jersey Uniform Ethics Code. The proposed regulations can be accessed via: http://www.state.nj.us/ethics/publications/news/approved/07jul26.html
- AAUP is Making Efforts to Improve and Open Lines of Communication with UMDNJ Administration
AAUP is improving and opening lines of communication between faculty and the University Administration. AAUP has facilitated meetings for faculty to communicate directly to Dean Johnson, Dean Amenta, and Central Administration Personnel. AAUP will continue to make efforts to hold such meetings in all schools and campuses to afford faculty the opportunity to communicate with and provide direct input to UMDNJ’s Administration.
- AAUP Improves Patents Policy
After discussions lasting almost two years, AAUP and UMDNJ came to terms on a revised Patents Policy. The Patents Policy was amended on August 13, 2004 and is incorporated by reference in Article XXA of the AAUP Contract. One of the most important improvements in the new Patents Policy is that, when UMDNJ agrees to pursue a patent, UMDNJ will now be responsible for paying all of the costs associated with obtaining the patent. In addition, a specific timeline is provided by which UMDNJ must make its decision whether to pursue a patent on behalf of the Inventor. If the University does not pursue a patent within the agreed-to timeframe, the Inventor retains all rights to the invention. Alternatively, an amended application can be submitted to the University committee for consideration. The Patents Policy can be referenced at
www.umdnj.edu//oppmweb/Policies/HTML/LegalServ/90-45_00/PATENTS.doc
- AAUP Speaks Out for Faculty on Restrictive Covenants
AAUP has been voicing faculty concerns regarding restrictive covenants for years. Restrictive covenants are limitations on post-UMDNJ employment that some clinical faculty at RWJMS and SOM have been required to sign. UMDNJ attempted to unilaterally impose post-employment restrictive covenants on RWJMS and SOM faculty without negotiating with AAUP. When AAUP objected to UMDNJ’s unilateral imposition of post-employment restrictive covenants on faculty and sought negotiations, UMDNJ refused to negotiate, and AAUP had to file an Unfair Practice Charge with NJ PERC. Ultimately, NJ PERC agreed with AAUP and required UMDNJ to negotiate with AAUP over post-employment restrictive covenants, which ultimately resulted in a negotiated agreement on post-employment restrictive covenants for faculty at RWJMS and SOM. The negotiated settlement can be viewed at http://aaupumdnj.org/RCMOA.htm.
AAUP IS YOUR ADVOCATE
VIEW IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND UPDATES AT WWW.AAUPUMDNJ.ORG
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTION PLEASE CALL 973-972-5875 OR
732-235-4195 OR EMAIL AT COUNCIL@AAUPUMDNJ.ORG