Day 3 went much like Day 2, with massive pickets and a powerful rally in front of Winants Hall — home to Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway offices. There were drag queens, music, and a festive atmosphere — but hanging over it all was the specter of negotiations.
On Sunday night, Gov. Phil Murphy summoned both sides to Trenton, using his office to try to avert the strike — didn’t happened — and possibly get the dispute settled quickly. We walked, knowing this was the backdrop and brought hundreds upon hundreds of people into the streets — faculty, staff, community members, and students.
It is now Wednesday at about 8 p.m. and our negotiators are still at the table. And we are still on strike and will be at least through tomorrow. There has been progress, according to people inside the room, but there remains a lot of work to be done.
The rest of this post will be filled with photos, which should remind everyone how much energy and unity there is and to help keep our spirits high as this stretches into the fourth day.