day two of the Rutgers University strike has thousands of staff and faculty picket outside classrooms on all three campuses of the state's Flagship University the result of failed contract negotiations as the three unions representing workers fight for better pay and job protections the bargaining still underway taking place at the governor's office in Trenton as a fourth union considers joining the fight and potential legal action from Rutgers leadership looms senior correspondent Brenda Flanagan is following the story and has the latest from the picket line picketers marched Down College Avenue at Rutgers New Brunswick on day two of an historic strike by three faculty medical and auxiliary staff unions representing about 9 000 members at campuses in Newark New Brunswick and Camden spirits remain high let's [Applause] let's more than 90 percent of union members voted to strike after months of contract talks hit a wall Strikers seek higher wages pay equity and job security especially for adjunct professors who get paid per class and grad students I'm a tenure track Professor so I have privileges that a lot of folks on the line here don't have and so my kids and I we get to come out and be a voice for them tense contract negotiations continued for a second day in Trenton where Governor Murphy called all sides to huddle at the state house and quote get this salt ASAP how's it going at this point it doesn't look like we have a lot of movement there's been movement on some of the smaller issues but in terms of the larger issues the core issues for us equal pay for equal work recognition the recognition for management that that you know we do the same work as everybody else as far as adjuncts recognition that you know grads you know deserve to be treated as well workers as well that kind of stuff has been slow coming I have a master's degree as many of us do and to make ends meet I have to do door dashing Tevin King's a special counselor for disadvantaged students helping them navigate obstacles like registration financial aid and food insecurity but King says counselors remain understaffed and underpaid so he's walking a picket line they continuously just throw things on our plates and expect us to deliver and and come here smiling be professional and happy when actually you know that gets challenging after a while in order for our students to feel supported and receive the services that they need we need every single person out here to be able to make a living wage strike chanting slogans striking workers past University dorms and urged students to join their protest 67 000 students attend Rutgers but the strike has disrupted schedules yeah I don't have class but they definitely have legitimate demands so I'm all for it I'm striking with them you know in solidarity pretty much all of my classes are canceled and you know I'm with the professors I think they are doing what they need to do right now University President John Holloway said the governor asked him not to go to court to force these striking workers back on the job Holloway said he agreed for now unfortunately this is where it's going to get resolved it's going to get resolved in the streets jerseys AFL-CIO president expressed full support for the Striking Rutgers unions and now a fourth union could join these picket lines Rutgers administrators aft Union with 2500 members who provide dining and other services is considering a strike authorization vote it's a shame we had to do this but again I think this really reflects on the priorities of this institution where they're putting their money it really shows where their heads are they employed the governor for bringing folks together in Trenton but it's time to sit down make a commitment to sit at the table until this is resolved the university says it's bargaining in good faith talks are ongoing so are the protest marches [Applause] in New Brunswick I'm Brenda Flanagan NJ Spotlight news [Music]