RSVP to join us at the bargaining table Today, July 7th at 2:00PM in Hess room 8-101
Over two months ago, we came to the bargaining table with a focused set of priorities identified by postdocs: compensation, housing, childcare, emergency support fund, and leaves of absence including visa renewal leave. These proposals address key issues affecting postdocs across Sinai, including issues that are especially important for colleagues in the most vulnerable situations like parents and international researchers.
Sinai’s approach to bargaining has not reflected the urgency of these issues. Although we requested to begin bargaining in February, Sinai only agreed to begin negotiations at the latest possible time required by our contract. Over two months, Sinai scheduled only six bargaining sessions, with limited time at the table. Sinai has not substantively engaged with our proposals, rejecting them without providing sufficient information, clear rationales, or meaningful alternatives.
After the June 22 session, when it became clear that Sinai would continue to insist on a contract that would make our working conditions worse, Sinai also did not schedule any additional sessions before June 30. As a result, our contract expired while core issues for the majority of postdocs at Sinai remain unresolved.
Sinai has resisted engaging on our proposals around childcare, parental leave and housing in a substantive way. Most of the administration's proposals for SPOC before contract expiration have been worse than the status quo, including:
Eliminating the emergency support fund
Introducing a probationary period for new postdocs
No longer increasing minimum compensation
Cutting anniversary raises from 3% to 1.5%
Weakening intellectual property protections
Weakening the grievance and arbitration process
Adding additional administrative requirements for receiving relocation payments and using visa renewal leave
At a time when higher education and scientific research face significant challenges,, maintaining a strong research enterprise requires stability, investment, and a supported workforce. Sinai recently reported a 27% increase in grant funding compared to the previous year, an achievement made possible in part by the contributions of postdocs. Yet Sinai has not shown commitment to investing in the workforce that helps drive this success. Sinai should be working with us to strengthen the workforce that makes its research mission possible.
We hope we can continue to make progress toward a fair agreement that improves our working conditions in a timely manner. We know from experience that in order to win the strongest possible contract we will need a strong majority of us to be informed and actively participating in the process. RSVP here to join us at the bargaining table today, July 7th, 2pm in Hess Room 8-101.
Solidarity,
Bremy Alburquerque, Genetics and Genomic Sciences
SPOC-UAW 4100 Bargaining Committee