UC researchers, postdoctoral scholars reach tentative deal, still on strike
By Alejandra O’Connell-Domenech, Nov. 29, 2022
University of California officials and the school system’s postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers have reached tentative agreement after more than two weeks of striking. Bargaining teams from the University of California and the United Auto Workers, the union representing the school system’s academic workers, have potentially reached a deal on a new five-year contract for postdoctoral scholars and researchers. Postdocs and academic researchers will remain on strike until the contract is ratified and in solidarity with the roughly 36,000 academic student employees and student researchers who are still striking.
Once officially ratified, the new contracts will be effective until Sept. 30, 2027.
“We are proud to have reached agreements that address the soaring cost of living, and reflect the value of our contributions at UC,” said Neal Sweeney, President of UAW Local 5810. “These agreements represent a new, best-in-class model that will improve quality of life – and the quality of research – for scientists across the US. It is now time for UC to make serious proposals to Academic Student Employees and Student Researchers and to reach fair agreements that recognize the contributions these workers make.”
About 48,000 University of California teaching assistants, graduate researchers and other workers walked off the job 15 days ago calling for higher wages and better benefits.
As a part of Tuesday’s tentative agreement, most postdocs will receive up to $12,000 more in their annual salary by October of next year. UC officials have agreed to expand paid parental and family leave for postdocs from four to eight weeks as well as provide at least $2,500 a year in childcare subsidies. Postdocs will also get longer appointments, more transportation subsidies, better protections from workplace bullying and guaranteed leave time for immigration appointments and protections if immigration laws change...
Academic researchers will also get eight weeks of paid parental and family leave starting in January under the contract as well as a 29 percent salary increase over five years...*
===
*Note: Twenty-nine percent over five years is an average of about 5.3% per year, although the proposed contract is probably front-loaded, i.e., more in the first year and less in the later years. (The university has talked about 7% in the first year.) That's quite a bit less than the initial union demands and may require a significant "selling" job by the union leadership if expectations of members are much higher.
The settlement will likely put pressure on the remaining groups to agree on something similar.
===
No comments:
Post a Comment