Contract Education:
The URA is committed to ensuring that our membership is well-versed in our contract and our rights. To that end we are rolling out a series of Contract Education articles to help you understand the importance of our contract; how the various articles are beneficial to you, and when and how they are applicable.
‘Just Cause’ for Discipline and Dismissal
ARTICLE 18 – JUST CAUSE/DISCIPLINE
No employee shall be discharged, suspended, disciplined or receive a deficiency downgrade except for just cause.
The parties to this Agreement affirm the concept of progressive discipline.
Just Cause is the keystone of the collective bargaining agreement. The just cause clause in our contract insures the integrity of the contract and the viability of our union. Without it, an employer could fire employees for trivial or manufactured reasons, could undo seniority, eliminate higher paid workers, and strip the union of its leadership.
Supervisors often assume that just cause is an easy criterion to satisfy. On its face, the standard appears only to require a legitimate reason for taking action. However, years of union advocacy, have molded just cause into a formidable bulwark; obligating employers to publicize rules, enforce them consistently, follow due process, treat employees alike, produce substantial and credible evidence, apply graduated penalties, and consider mitigating and extenuating circumstances.
Just cause protection marks a sharp dividing line between union and non-union (“at-will”) employees. Union workers cannot be dismissed unless they engage in egregious or repetitious misconduct. Non-union employees can be fired for a single mistake, an argument with a supervisor, a complaint about working conditions, or for incurring the dislike of a manager. (Taken in part from Just Cause, A Union Guide to Winning Discipline Cases, Robert H. Schwartz)
Read more here >>
Join Team URA-AFT #1766 for the
4th Annual Equality Walk on 6/22/13
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Erie Park, Montclair, NJ
In the Fall of 2012, our union adopted a resolution supporting marriage equality for all of our members and people in New Jersey. This is our chance to walk our talk by participating in the 4th Annual Equality Walk in Montclair.
We need you to join our team. Go to
http://equalitywalk.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=1068607&lis=0&kntae1068607=09427F9B28D94A00ACF196E01E66A6F7&supId=0&team=5520011&cj=Y to join our team. We will have team t-shirts made for this event.
Read more here >>
URA at Rutgers Day
For the third year in a row, we participated in Rutgers Day on April 27, 2013 by running an interactive educational game called “Do You Know Your Legislature?” players who could name New Jersey State legislators won URA soap bubbles. Those that were unsure were given a card with the name, party and contact information of their Senator and Assembly-persons.
We partnered with Working Families United of New Jersey Working Families United NJ came with their green Voter Registration van. We registered approximately 50 new voters and educated hundreds of people about the Minimum Wage referendum in November.
Read more and view pictures here >>
Calling All URA Graduates
Graduation is just around the corner..
..
If you are a URA member and are graduating soon please let us know so that we can celebrate in your success. Contact the URA with your name, school you are graduating from, degree achieved, and month of graduation. We are proud to celebrate your achievement and the sacrifices you have made to get to this point. Send information to the URA at union@ura-aft.org.
Read more here >>
URA Logo Contest
Thanks to all for your submissions. The Logo Contest submissions period is now closed but keep an eye out in your upcoming newsletters to vote on the new URA logo.
Read more here >>
General Membership Meeting
(open to full-dues members only; membership forms available at the door)
When: Mon., May 13, 2013
Time: 5:30 p.m.
Where: Video-conferencing from 3 campuses,
**Camden: Armitage Hall, Dean’s Conference Room.
**Newark: Special Collections Room, Dana Library, Fourth Floor.
**New Brunswick: Labor Education Center, Room 133.
Agenda:
Second Reading and Vote on the Proposed Budget for FY 2013-14
Read more here >>
The Raymond A. Peterson Scholarship will be presented to award recipients on April 28, 2013 at the Middlesex and Somerset Counties AFL-CIO Labor Council’s Annual Awards Brunch. This scholarship opportunity is available a student who is, or whose parent/guardian is, a member in good standing in a local union affiliated with the Middlesex and Somerset Counties AFL-CIO Labor Council. Full dues membership in the URA-AFT meet this requirement. Completed application and essay must be postmarked by April 12, 2013.
