The United Auto Worker (UAW) 5810 bargaining team reached a tentative agreement for post-doctoral scholars and academic researchers with the University of California (UC) after two weeks of negotiations on Nov. 29.
The tentative agreement addresses the core demands of the union regarding fair compensation and cost of living adjustments, climate and transit, support for working parents, international scholar rights, jobs security, disability justice and anti-bullying protections.
According to bargaining updates from the UAW, the tentative contract includes “compensation that addresses cost of living.” This includes a 20-23% salary increase by October 2023 for most post-doctoral scholars and 29% salary increases over the life of the contract for academic researchers.
According to Executive Director of Systemwide Labor Relations Letitia Silas, these agreements will support workers’ efforts within the university.
“Our dedicated colleagues are vital to UC’s research activities and we are very pleased to have reached agreements that honor their many important contributions,” Silas said in the UC’s official statement. “These agreements also uphold our tradition of supporting these employees with compensation and benefits packages that are among the best in the country.”
A statement from the UAW on behalf of post-doctoral scholars and academic researchers said they will continue to strike and stand in solidarity with researchers and academic student employees until they reach a contract that fully addresses their core demands.
“[Academic researchers] and postdocs are still striking,” a statement from the Nov. 28 update read. “The strikes called over unfair labor practices and in sympathy with student researchers and academic student employees will continue while the ratification process proceeds.”
Student researchers and academic student employees have yet to reach an agreement with the UC. However, graduate students from UAW 2865 — which represents academic student employees — expressed their joy about the potential improvement of living conditions for post-doctoral scholars and academic researchers.
The New University spoke with political science Ph.D. candidate Jackie Ku and fifth-year Ph.D. candidate from the math department Jessica Schirle.
“I congratulate my postdoc and academic researcher peers and colleagues on their long fight for this contract,” Ku said. “It’s going to increase their material conditions. But, as it stands, student researchers and academic student employees here, there’s still a path forward.”
Schirle also congratulated her colleagues in UAW 5810 regarding the tentative agreement and cautioned them to look over the ratification closely over the coming days.
“From the summaries that I’ve heard, it sounds like it’s potentially a good contract,” Schirle said. “But, I will say that postdocs and [academic researchers] look at all of the language that they’ve won and should vote their conscience when it comes time for them to actually ratify.”
Post-doctoral scholars and academic researchers will vote on the ratification for this agreement over the next few days and will hold town halls to address any questions from the public. The UAW has encouraged the public to take part in the process of viewing upcoming bargaining sessions.
“I think it always should come down to people engaging in the democratic process as fully as they can,” Schirle said. “And I would only consider a contract good if the majority of people whom it affects believes that it’s good.”
The local UAW 2865 will continue to strike in hopes of a fair contract for the other UAW units as the UC and UAW continue negotiating.
Helena San Roque is a Campus News Staff Writer. She can be reached at msanroqu@uci.edu.
