We’re delighted to have received, amongst the many messages of support, this from Rutgers University:

Rutgers AAUP-AFT Stands in Solidarity with University and College Union (UCU) members

Submitted by Staff on Tue, 02/20/2018 – 14:02

The Rutgers Executive Council of AAUP-AFT Chapters voted unanimously to stand in solidarity with University and College Union (UCU) members in the United Kingdom on February 20, 2018.

Download a copy of the resolution

Here is the text of the resolution:

Whereas, Members of the largest union of university teaching staff in the UK, the University and College Union (UCU), are fighting to stop an outrageous attack on retirement benefits;

Whereas, University administrators propose to end the current guaranteed pension plan, replacing it with individual investment accounts, on the pretext of a fictional deficit “crisis;”

Whereas, Workers in the United States, including New Jersey educators, are very familiar with the use of manufactured “crises” to undermine retirement plans, which attack workers’ long-term security by stealing their own deferred wages;

Be it resolved that the AAUP-AFT chapters at Rutgers University call on Universities UK to give up their shameful attack on defined-benefit pensions and negotiate with UCU in good faith;

And be it resolved that we stand in solidarity with the members of the UCU, saluting their commitment to security, equity, and dignity in the workplace and in retirement.

Read the resolution Solidarity-with-UCU-20-February-2018

Rutgers Council of AAUP-AFT Chapters represents 7,700 faculty, including full-time faculty who are tenured, tenure-track, and non-tenure track (state and grant-funded), graduate workers (Teaching Assistants and Graduate Assistants), Part-Time Lecturer faculty, Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Counselors, Postdocs, and Winter Session & Summer S