I'm Ryan. I currently serve as Co-President, and have worked at the combined Rutgers for 26 years, starting at UMDNJ as a high school intern. I graduated from Rutgers College in 2004, my hometown hospital is University Hospital, and I’ve been responsible for IT equipment at today’s Rowan SOM. I’ve seen the good work we do and have learned through experience how hard we often have to fight our employers for the treatment we deserve in compensation.

We have made some good progress over the last few years – winning unprecedented contracts from Rowan, Rutgers, and University Hospital. We've increased our number of union reps, community connections, and training opportunities – including how to build member power. We've had members directly involved in contract negotiations – through open bargaining and pushing for better contracts away from the bargaining table through contract action teams. Most importantly, we heard management's "final" offers and have successfully moved them off these proposals nearly every time. We also proved to be stronger than a university president and a hospital CEO who were slow to recognize our true worth.

While those are respectable accomplishments, the times ahead are going to require us to be stronger than we have potentially ever been in this local's history. Federal attacks on everything from research dollars to tuition aid to both Medicare and Medicaid funding mean that all of our employers may face funding cuts in the coming years (many of them conveniently taking effect after the 2026 midterm elections). We learned at the beginning of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis that our employers can be remarkably uncreative when facing hard times. It was our unions that proposed the work-sharing furloughs that saved jobs (and led to increases in take-home pay for lower-income members). We know that the work we do is important to our communities, and it is on us to protect it –because it’s likely that no one else will. As is common in these circumstances, it’s likely those that can least afford it who will suffer the most if we don’t.

In the midst of all of this, there are reasons to be hopeful. We have built a good team on our Local Executive Board, who are clear on what a strong and thriving union looks like and committed to getting us there. To that end, I ask that you support my fellow candidates, Roshni Danak for Co-Secretary, and Mayra Barreto for Co-Grievance Chair. Both exemplify what it means to be a union leader and have spent many hours of their time on educational calls to learn how to build a stronger and more member-led union, as well as responding to member emergencies, all with significant outside responsibilities.

Often, tough times are the catalyst we need to motivate us to make change. Let’s remember what makes unions what they are: all of our voices together in solidarity. Our union cannot win without you. Join us as we work to build better and fairer workplaces!

Solidarity!