CWA/UMDNJ Updates

July 2008

Negotiations

The CWA-UMDNJ contract expired June 30^th.  CWA sent UMDNJ notification to bargain a successor contract early this year.  The current contract provisions will remain in effect until a new contract is ratified, so you are still protected by a contract.  CWA Local 1031 sent out surveys, assembled a negotiating team, met to determine our priorities in negotiations, met with other UMDNJ Unions, and sent a letter to UMDNJ requesting information and negotiation dates.  This was accomplished before March 1, 2008. 

UMDNJ did not respond to CWA’s request for information and bargaining dates in a timely manner.  CWA then filed a request for information under OPRA, the Open Public Records Act.  This Act requires UMDNJ to respond within seven days or be subject to fines. UMDNJ responded that they had hired a law firm to negotiate the contract and needed to meet with their team before getting us information and dates.

In mid-May, UMDNJ informed CWA that there may be a problem with the law firm they had obtained, and by early June confirmed they needed to obtain another firm to represent the University in negotiations.  Last week, the University sent the last of the requested information but, as of today, we still do not have dates to begin negotiations.

Some of the other Unions at UMDNJ have contract re-openers, but they will not be negotiating full contracts.  These Unions have already begun negotiating with UMDNJ.  CWA will be negotiating a full contract and has experienced delays because of this.

We will be holding meetings for Full Members only, but will email UMDNJ Updates to all who supply their email addresses.  If you are located in Newark, please email Yvonne Sherrill at Sherriyv@umdnj.edu, and if you are located in New Brunswick, Piscataway or Stratford Campuses, please email Rob Reinitz at Reinitrj@umdnj.edu. When we have a contract to vote on, only full members will be allowed to vote.  We will send a new UMDNJ Update out when we have negotiation dates.

Previous Contract

CWA and UMDNJ negotiated the previous contract but it took many months to get the contract reviewed and signed.  When CWA received the final version of the contract, UMDNJ removed numerous titles that CWA had represented.  This action was without negotiations.  CWA would not sign the contract until we sat down to negotiate the titles.  UMDNJ finally changed the titles back to the original titles we had previously represented.  This is why the past contract has not been put online.  UMDNJ tried to force changes that must be negotiated.  The previous contract is now being signed, all individuals who had been removed from our bargaining unit should be reinstated, and if they were paying for health benefits, these payments should cease and the money should be reimbursed.

Confidential Employees

CWA challenged UMDNJ’s application of who is a confidential employee. After several meetings, CWA and UMDNJ have agreed on a process to make a title confidential.  As a result of these meetings, approximately 20 UMDNJ employees who had been confidential will now be placed in the CWA bargaining unit. These new members will cease paying for health benefits and CWA will have a chance to meet them and provide information about CWA during the month of July.

Recent Legislation

During the past few weeks, CWA has been sending our members information about proposed legislation that would affect your pensions and health insurance.  We have been lobbying down in Trenton, (Branch Presidents Danny Ortiz and Rob Reinitz were there!) and asked you to email and call your legislators about the proposed legislation.  Despite what the newspapers have reported, we were able to stop them from entirely gutting your benefits.  They did make changes to the retirement age for NEW employees.  The details of what was changed, the budget that was just passed and the impact to State, Public and Municipal workers will be reported in the upcoming CWA newsletter The Lamp.

Scholarships

The Lamp, the CWA Local 1031 newsletter for UMDNJ Public Workers, State Workers and Municipal Workers, will be published in late July.  Applications for Daycare Grants and Scholarships will be published and also available from our website.  Make sure you check it out.

June 28, 2007

State Health Benefits Program

UMDNJ circulated memos requiring workers to pay into the State Health Benefits Program (SHBP) beginning July 27, 2007.   The CWA, AAUP, CIR, HPAE, Operating Engineers and the Teamsters met to discuss these changes.  We will work together to require UMDNJ not to impose these changes but to negotiate with the Unions.

Please note that the Judiciary workers, who are also Public Workers (like UMDNJ), not State Workers have successfully stopped the Judiciary Management from imposing these changes.  The Governor's office, as well as the SHBP, supported the requirement to negotiate not dictate or impose changes. 

Next week is a holiday week, but the Unions listed above will be meeting.  We should have another Update for you the week of July 9th.  CWA and the Coalition of Unions at UMDNJ are using our resources to protect your rights and to require UMDNJ to negotiate!

May 10, 2007

(Sent Via Email)

CWA Retro Raises

CWA has received confirmation that the 2006 retro payments will be in the May 18^th paychecks!  For those workers who received an equity adjustment effective August 2006, your retro is also included in this paycheck.  Your retroactive pension deductions will not be deducted in this paycheck.  Look for your normal pension deduction as well as the retro pension deduction to be in one of the two following paychecks.  If you believe you have not received the raise or do not receive the retro, please check with payroll to confirm.  If you confirm that you have not received your money, then contact CWA and we will look into this.  (Housekeeping Supervisors who received an equity adjustment please read below.)

Raises For CWA Employees Who Have Left Our Bargaining Unit

Over the past few months, CWA has indicated that any former members who have left the CWA bargaining unit would be entitled to their CWA raises for the time they were employed in one of the CWA titles.  This means that individuals who have retired, left the University, were laid off, or transferred to another position, whether management or another Union, are entitled to the CWA raises when they were in our bargaining unit.  CWA has asked current CWA employees to reach out to these employees to get their names.  If the employee has left UMDNJ, we need to confirm their current address.  UMDNJ is now processing these raises and CWA needs to get UMDNJ these names.  CWA has a small file with names, but would appreciate if you know any of these employees/former employees that you make sure that they contact CWA Local 1031.  Thank you.

Housekeeping Supervisors Who Received Equity Increases

CWA Local 1031 negotiated equity increases for some of our Housekeeping Supervisors.  There have been numerous mistakes made in the processing of these monies.  CWA requested a breakdown of each member’s payments and has received this information from UMDNJ.  Kathy Hernandez will be contacting each of these members to explain what they have received.  All 2006 retro payments are on hold until you have all been contacted.  Once you have been contacted and receive an explanation of your payments, HR will authorize any outstanding payments and will also change your status to overtime eligible.  Your overtime and shift differential payments will then be processed.  Thank you for your patience and please know that CWA apologizes for all of the confusion.  We have been in contact with UMDNJ numerous times to try and prevent problems as well as to clear them up. 

Equity Increases July 2007

Now that the payment of the 2005 and 2006 raises is almost complete, CWA would like to remind you of an additional increase that some of you will be eligible to receive.  (Please note that CWA will post the 2006 Salary Scale on our website when we receive it from UMDNJ.)  If you have been in your title for 5 years or more and have not reached the midpoint, you will be entitled to an increase.  If you have been in your title for 10 years and have not reached the three quarter point, you will receive an equity increase.  These requests will be processed in July of 2007

Equity Increases

CWA has received many requests to explain what an equity increase is and to inquire who is eligible.  These requests go in to Compensation and a review is performed.  Some of the reasons you may be eligible for an equity increase are:  you have taken on additional duties on a temporary or permanent basis, you are making less than the people you supervise, you are earning significantly less than others in this title.  If you have taken on additional duties, you may be eligible for an upgrade if your duties have changed substantially.

If you believe you may be entitled to an equity adjustment, please send CWA the following information: your name, title, length of service in this title, department, manager’s name, title, email and or extension, list of additional duties, and, if possible, a date when these additional duties began.  (For example, a manager left on January 1, 2007 and now you are assuming many of his/her duties.)  If you are a worker who has subordinates making more than you, please include a list of employees and titles of those making more than you.  Email this info to Khernandez@cwa1031.org.  Not all requests result in equity payments or promotions and recent raises may alter any monetary disparities.  Please keep this in mind.

CWA Victory

Too often our Updates contain information about what CWA is trying to accomplish.  We would like to share with you a recent victory.  One of our long term members was given an unsatisfactory evaluation and was transferred out of her position shortly after.  The position was not a CWA position.  CWA filed a grievance because the University did not follow our contract and our member was not given notice of deficiencies or a plan for improvement.  It took over a year, but CWA worked out a settlement with UMDNJ.  The worker is once again in a CWA position, the evaluation changed to satisfactory, and the member will receive the money that was lost because of the improper transfer. While we communicated to you that CWA has been unable to obtain hearings for our members, we were able to negotiate this settlement.  This is a victory and we will continue to fight for our other members who we feel have been harmed!

May 8, 2007

(Sent Via Email)

As stated previously, CWA Local 1031 attempts to obtain concrete information before sending out an update.  Unfortunately, at the time we are writing this, we do not have concrete answers, but know that our members are anxious to hear from the Union.

Retro Raises

CWA has been in constant communication with a representative from HR.  As of today, HR has not received confirmation from Payroll on a date for the retro monies from the 2006 raise.  They are attempting to get this money into your next pay check, but this is not confirmed yet.  When you do receive your retro money, there will be a problem with the pension deductions.  Your very next paycheck will have your retro pension deduction as well as your current pension deduction.  This is the result of problems with the Banner System.  Please be prepared for this. 

CWA met with the Director of Labor Relations, the Acting VP of HR as well as the Senior VP of Operations regarding the payment of money due CWA members.  We discussed the surprise pension deduction that occurred when you were paid your 2005 retro.  They agreed that UMDNJ should do better in their communication to CWA.  With this said, we still have been unable to confirm your 2006 retro payment date, but as soon as we hear, we will email all of you.  Please do not call your reps regarding this; they are waiting to hear as is the CWA Local 1031 office.

Equity Increases

CWA Local 1031 was able to obtain approximately 50 equity increases for some of our members.  These increases were retro to August 2006.  Those employees should have received your increase around the time of your 2005 retro money.  (UMDNJ failed to let CWA know this until after the money was paid!)  With this stated, you will receive your retro money at the same time as the 2006 retro payments.  Please contact payroll for a breakdown of this combined retro payments. Ask for a manager or supervisor if necessary.  CWA will be following up with these 50 members to ensure that you received the correct money.

Flood Days

Recently, Acting Governor Cody declared a State of Emergency due to flooding in NJ on April 16^th.  The New Brunswick/Piscataway area was hard hit and one of the UMDNJ schools closed and told workers to stay home.  Other UMDNJ schools did not do this and many workers attempted to get to work but were unable.  These workers were told to charge personal time for these days.  CWA, along with the Coalition of UMDNJ Unions, met with HR and the Senior VP of Operations regarding this.  They have passed on a recommendation to Dr. Vladeck regarding this.  We have not obtained a decision about the use of personal time yet.  When we receive a decision about the use of time, we will email you immediately.

Grievances

UMDNJ has failed to schedule any CWA grievance hearings since last summer.  In addition, they have not provided discovery so that CWA can properly prepare for a hearing.  CWA has filed an Unfair Labor Practice Charge against UMDNJ.  We will meet with the Public Employee Relations Commission (PERC) on June 14^th.  UMDNJ has received a copy of the charges and still has not attempted to schedule any hearings.  CWA is looking into moving every grievance to arbitration.  We will keep you updated on the progress of these issues. Please note that the Teamsters and HPAE Unions have received hearings!   This is disparate treatment and is unfair!  We may ask you to take action in the near future, to let UMDNJ know that this is unfair.

General Equity Increases

UMDNJ has been looking into the equity issues that we have sent for review.  The Local 1031 office is behind on processing several if the newer issues and UMDNJ has not issued determinations on some of the issues that have been filed.  These requests are not being held up as the grievances are, but do take time to process.  CWA Local 1031 will be following up on all of our cases during the month of May.

Housekeeping Supervisors

CWA Local 1031 filed an OPRA (Open Public Records Act) request to obtain information for our Housekeeping Supervisors who were entitled to equity increases.  We requested a breakdown of all monies paid and money that is due.   The OPRA request was being denied because the University is not required to “create” information.  As a result CWA withdrew the request and UMDNJ HR stated they would supply the information, but it would take them longer than a week.  There have been several mistakes and UMDNJ wanted to review each one.  CWA should be receiving a break down on each supervisor within the next week.  We will then meet or supply each Housekeeping Supervisor with this information.

April 2, 2007

CWA negotiated a contract with UMDNJ that contained two raises (effictive11/05 and 11/06) of 2.5% across-the-board as well as two different types of equity increases for approximately 80 of our members.  There will be an additional raise in November of 2007 and some of our members will be receiving overtime, shift differential payments and equity increases after the 2005 and 2006 monetary payments have been completed.

The most important goal for CWA Local 1031 has been to get you information about your monetary increases accurately.  We have communicated to UMDNJ that we are less concerned with the time frame to complete all of the raises and more concerned with the dates and steps that UMDNJ is undertaking.  If this meant the process would take an extra month or two, CWA was ok with this.  Accuracy was more important than speed.

Although CWA communicated this to UMDNJ, they have been handling the increases for other Unions as well as management and confidential employees and they have made “last minute changes” in order to speed up the process.  CWA is now slowing down the process because our members do not know if what they have received is correct.  They do not know this because UMDNJ issued a regular paycheck with retro money and an equity increase.  Then they issued a regular paycheck with an increase and double pension deductions.  The retro increase for some of the employees who received an equity increase was incorrect.  Other employees who received an equity increase did not receive their retro money yet.

CWA has requested a breakdown of the payments for the 80 members who were eligible for equity increases.  It has been communicated to CWA that is we want this; the 2006 retro payments will have to wait.  We have requested that the equity breakdowns be the priority.  If UMDNJ does not separate equity retro from negotiated raise retro or fix the past mistakes, then our members will never know if they have received the correct amount of money.  CWA will not have administered the contract correctly and this is our duty.  An injury to one is an injury to all!

When we have dates for any of the raises, retro or any monetary increase, we will share this information with you when we receive it.  Thank you for your patience.  Please check and re-check your stubs if you have questions.  Call payroll for an explanation before you contact CWA.  Payroll should be able to explain what you have received.  After UMDNJ pays the raises and retro monies to current CWA members, they will begin the process of paying members who have left our bargaining unit.  When we have dates on these payments, we will email that information out too.