Thousands of Rutgers faculty go on unprecedented strike

Thousands of professors, part-time lecturers and graduate student workers at New Jersey’s flagship university have gone on strike — the first such job action in the school’s 257-year history. Classes were still being held Monday at Rutgers as picket lines were set up at the school’s campuses in New Brunswick/Piscataway, Newark and Camden. Union officials had decided Sunday night to go on strike, citing a stalemate in contract talks that have been ongoing since July. Faculty members had voted overwhelmingly in favor of authorizing a strike last month. Union leaders say they’re demanding salary increases, better job security for adjunct faculty and guaranteed funding for graduate students, among other requests.