while three Rutgers University Unions keep their strike on hold for now a fourth union could be jumping into The Fray the union of Rutgers administrators is still counting votes from members on a strike pledge they were on the picket line today in New Brunswick and Camden accusing the state's Flagship University of taking steps back in contract negotiations Ted Goldberg has the latest I'm an only income in my family okay my a widow so if I went on strike and I didn't get paid it would be a very bad hardship but I would have to do it to stick together and help everybody else Rutgers management is continuing to see pickets and protests as contract negotiations Linger on this time it's from the union of Rutgers administrators or Ura they're analyzing member surveys from a strike pledge a move that could lead to an official strike authorization vote and possibly make Ura the fourth Rutgers Union to go on strike this year we didn't get an increase everything went up we haven't gotten an increase and I would like to be able to keep my house everything is getting expensive here in New Jersey and cost of living don't forget about inflation so all that adds up so whatever percentage you're coming back on us with is not even fair Ura members tell me they were inspired to start picketing not just because of a lack of pay raises or because of a lack of increased Paid Family Leave time but also because of what they perceive as a lack of respect from Rutgers management I would like them to honor our contract even when we have a contract they don't even honor it the sticking point is the unwillingness to respond uh two very reasonable demands we have put forth you are a vice president Lucy milorand says negotiations haven't led to a lot of results so a strike could be on the horizon the economic proposals that they have put forth are insulting we want some reward for our essential workers who can't can't work from home but yet we're here all through the pandemic keeping the place safe progress is extremely slow with this University and they seem to have taken a major step backwards after our last session Christine monk works with one of the unions representing the biomedical and health science workers at Rutgers she says her Union has made some progress at the bargaining table but at a high cost their current offer the percentage increases have a stipulation that any other topics of negotiations could get removed from the table and we settle it just our money only the three unions that went on strike just over two weeks ago suspended it to try and work out a deal with Rutgers management the largest faculty Union tells us quote we've made some progress in the past couple days but there is still significant issues that need to be dealt with before we have a full tentative agreement for members to vote on meanwhile the adjuncts union tells us they still have some issues to negotiate including how many credits they need to get two-year appointments which is the way they win some job security and move Beyond semester to semester hiring and the third Union representing the faculty in the biomedical and Health Sciences say they are making progress so milorand is hopeful that the administrative workers won't have to resort to going on strike we are very optimistic that we could do this without a strike because we've always done it since 2008 without a strike we know the money is there we know our demands are reasonable if a deal for the medical Union isn't reached by Thursday members say they'll rally Thursday night at New Jersey medical school in New Brunswick I'm Ted Goldberg NJ Spotlight News [Music]