Rider Faculty Vote Authorizes Strike if Negotiations Stall

Rider University’s faculty union – which has been in negotiations with the university over a new contract since July – on Thursday (Oct. 20) voted to authorize its negotiating team and executive committee to call a strike if necessary to “achieve a fair and equitable contract.”

Representatives of Rider’s chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) met with administration officials today (Friday, Oct. 21) and will meet again tomorrow to continue negotiations.   

Thursday’s vote allows AAUP negotiators to, among other things, call for “informational” picketing, direct union members to stop performing uncompensated work they currently do for the university and, if needed, announce a strike.

The union represents all full-time and part-time professors, librarians, coaches, athletic trainers and reading clinicians on both Rider’s main campus in Lawrence Township and the Westminster Choir College campus in Princeton Borough.

“If no progress can be made without a strike, then we are going to go on strike,” said Jeff Halpern, who leads the faculty’s bargaining team. Holding a doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh, he works as an associate professor at Rider and teaches anthropology.

Rider professors last went on strike in 1974. A walkout in 1994 was avoided at the last minute.

“The faculty is united in its support of the negotiating team in seeking a fair and equitable agreement,” said Roberta Clipper, an English professor who serves as president of Rider’s AAUP chapter.

“The university and the AAUP have been in negotiations toward a new contract since early July. Significant progress has been to date and agreement has been reached on all non-economic matters, subject to the contract’s final resolution,” Rider spokesman Dan Higgins said this evening.

“The parties exchanged initial wage proposals in today’s meeting. In addition, they continued their discussions on employee benefits changes. Both sides will continue the exchange of proposals tomorrow (Saturday) in an effort to reach an agreement,” he said.

“The university is committed to providing compensation and employee benefits which recognize the central role our faculty play in the lives of Rider students. It is essential that this be done in a way that allows Rider to adjust to the new economic realities we all face. Continuing to provide a high quality, affordable education in these challenging times, when our students and their families face significant financial challenges, must remain a central aspect of any resolution,” Higgins said.

“The university is confident that the parties share these common goals and will therefore find the appropriate balance as we move towards a final agreement.”