Rutgers Staff United is a caucus of rank-and-file members of the Union of Rutgers Administrators who are committed to building a democratic, accountable, fighting, member-led union.  Together, we organize for policies and practices that amplify the voices and needs of rank-and-file union members and increase transparency across the Rutgers system.

We welcome non-supervisory staff (whether unionized or non-unionized) to join us, share resources, and build solidarity. As staff, we believe that stronger, more powerful unions are what we need to win the workplace environments we deserve at Rutgers.


  • In the context of a union, a caucus is a group of union members and allies with a shared vision. While union members may have official roles (building representatives/stewards, committee members) within our unions, as a caucus, we are not an official committee and do not speak on behalf of any of our unions.

    Rather, Rutgers Staff United seeks to strengthen and bring change to our staff unions and improve our workplaces by directly working with our most important resource: union members. When our union leadership or formal union structures won’t act, Rutgers Staff United will work to engage membership and take collective action to win better working conditions.

  • We believe in the value of Rutgers staff as vital partners in the work of Rutgers University. Our work enables the success and well-being of its students, researchers, instructors and clinicians. Without its staff, the University could not function. Rutgers staff deserve respect, and Rutgers staff deserve better.

    We believe in the power of unions, labor solidarity, and collective action to improve the lives and working conditions of all Rutgers staff.

    Rutgers Staff United is committed to:

    Understanding members’ realities and taking collective, direct action to improve our workplaces and the world.

    Advocating and helping build increased union democracy and transparency and an organizing model of unionism (rather than a service model).

    Creating opportunities for rank-and-file members to engage, develop leadership and organizing skills, and move into decision-making roles.

    Building a grassroots fighting force of active members capable of winning campaigns and strong contracts in coalition with community and union partners.

  • In 2024, Rutgers Staff United will:

    Recruit and support leadership in union elections that are committed to open bargaining, member-centered contract campaigns, strong contract enforcement, and union democracy;

    Organize union members to better understand our workplaces and fight for (and win!) stronger contractual rights;

    Work with existing union leadership to increase member engagement, knowledge, and power;

    Host regular meetings and engage in one-on-one conversations across all Rutgers campuses to enforce our current contract, solve unresolved issues in our workplaces that may not be addressed in our contract, and prepare for our next contract campaign.

What we’ve done

Prior to forming this caucus, founding members of Rutgers Staff United worked with rank-and-file union members to:

  • advocate for open bargaining, greater transparency, and member communication in our most recent contract campaign; 

  • collaborate with the Coalition of Rutgers Unions to ensure URA members participated in Rutgers Strike School;

  • organize URA members to join rallies in support of striking Rutgers unions in Spring 2023 and our URA 2023 contract campaign;

  • schedule, create materials for, and facilitate two Town Halls and over 100 building meetings across all main Rutgers campuses (Camden, Newark and New Brunswick); 

  • introduce, and pass, a resolution to put a strike authorization pledge before URA bargaining unit members;

  • create URA Connect as a central member-to-member communication and resource sharing;

  • introduce and pass a resolution to support the Robert Wood Johnson Nurses in their strike against Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, as well as rally members to their picket line;

  • in conjunction with other union members, introduce and pass a resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Israel and Palestine;

  • work through official union channels (in roles as building reps, stewards, or committee members) to increase member education and engagement, defend members’ rights, and more.

Get Involved

Complete the Rutgers Staff United Interest Form and register to attend a Rutgers Staff United info session.

  1. You can become a caucus member by filling out this membership form here.

  2. Email rutgersstaffunited@gmail.com to talk with a founding member and/or receive information about our regularly scheduled Rutgers Staff United meetings.