“We’ve taken this step so we can protect our rights on the job, and make sure postdocs working on different campuses and in different labs are treated fairly and receive comparable pay and benefits,” said Simona Maccarrone, a postdoctoral researcher from UMass Amherst who was part of a delegation of workers filing a petition asking the Massachusetts Division of Labor Relations (DLR) to certify their union, UMass PRO/UAW, as their representative for collective bargaining. “This will give us the same union rights as other workers and faculty at UMass.”

The UAW, which has one million active and retired members, represents workers at more than 40 universities and colleges across the country.  They include 25,000 teaching assistants, research assistants, graders, tutors and other student academic employees at UMass, the University of California, California State University, and the University of Washington, as well as 6,500 postdoctoral researchers at UC.  The union also represents over 4,200 adjunct faculty at the New School and New York University and thousands of support staff at major universities, including Columbia University and Boston University.

UAW Region 9A Director Bob Madore said the UMass workers are the first postdoctoral researchers in the Commonwealth to unionize.  “These are first-class academic employees working in a world-class institution, and they are pioneering on behalf of their colleagues at other colleges and universities in Massachusetts.”

Postdoctoral researchers perform basic scientific research and contribute to the development of new innovations in biomedical science and industrial technologies. They also publish scholarly articles and write grant proposals that help bring in millions of dollars in grants and contracts.  Their work contributes to UMass’s highly regarded reputation as a research institution and an engine of economic growth in Massachusetts and throughout the northeast.

“After receiving a PhD or equivalent degree, we work on average for five years in a faculty supervisor’s lab,” said Caleb Rounds, a plant biologist.  “We’re a vital part of the university workforce and leaders in our fields, yet our pay is very low.  With the economy rebounding, the university’s financial situation is improving, so it’s time to address our needs.”

If a majority is reached and the union is certified, we will begin preparing for contract negotiations. In this case, Postdocs will come together to create a bargaining survey that will circulate among their co-workers in order to determine the issues that Postdocs would like to secure in a contract. In addition to the survey, a series of meetings will be held to discuss the issues and vote on a set of bargaining priorities and goals. Postdocs will then democratically vote for a group of their colleagues who are interested in participating on the bargaining team. This team of Postdocs, along with experienced negotiators from the UAW, will be responsible for crafting bargaining proposals and negotiating with representatives from UMass. As the bargaining process proceeds, our elected team will regularly provide updates on the speed and progress of the negotiations. Once all of the issues are addressed and a tentative agreement is reached, the bargaining team will present that agreement to Postdocs for review and a vote. If a simple majority of postdocs vote “yes” to ratify that agreement, it will become the contract that governs and protects Postdoc employment for a set period of time – usually three to four years (though the duration of the contract is also subject to negotiation). As that agreement approaches expiration, then we will begin to prepare for the next round of negotiations in an effort to improve upon or maintain the rights and benefits secured in the already existing agreement. It is also important to clarify that as stated on the union authorization card, Postdocs “will not pay any dues or fees until a first contract has been democratically approved by Postdocs”. Furthermore, any payment of dues or fees will take place only after individuals complete a dues deduction form that authorizes such payment.

That’s the process of establishing a public sector union in Massachusetts and the steps to negotiate the first contract. Underpinning the entire process are opportunities for direct participation and agenda shaping. Many have indicated discomfort with the uncertainty pertaining to the union’s agenda and what a contract can do for Postdocs. It is duly important to emphasize that nothing is predetermined in this process, except having the rights and power to negotiate with the UMass administration over working conditions.

We firmly believe that it is important for you to be well informed in making your decision.  Furthermore, we would like to emphasize that it is your legal right to form a union in order to collectively bargain with administration for better wages, benefits, and working conditions. It is also your right that your decision remains completely confidential.

I believe forming a union and negotiating a contract is important because the issues addressed will be OUR issues, such as salary, benefits, child care, maternity leave, pay raises, international employees, etc…. As most postdocs are paid below NIH minimum and those that are initially paid NIH minimum do not enjoy the salary increase mandated by the NIH standards, the raises in our paychecks by attaining this pay level/increase would grossly overcome the 1.15% union dues.

Furthermore, pregnant post-docs get 3 months unpaid maternity leave (the minimum benefit as an employee in the Massachusetts Commonwealth).  The only way to be paid during maternity leave is to use one’s sick and vacation time as as most post-docs consider their position temporary (i.e. a 2 to 3 year stint), they do not accrue enough paid time off to even closely cover those 3 months.

Forming and joining a union takes courage.  The University and PI’s do not want postdocs to unionize and creating an atmosphere of fear is a great way to keep people in check.

-Karissa Atticks

UMass Medical School

Graduate student employees were unionized when I first started the PhD program at my previous institution, but lost their right to collective bargaining due to changes in American politics some eight years ago.  As a result, I saw our rights and benefits diminishing considerably.  Although I don’t have much to complain about in my current position, I am supporting PRO/UAW  to help us keep and continue to improve our current working conditions and benefits.

-Luca Grisa

Physics

I have become involved with PRO/UAW because my graduate employee union experience was so positive. Though I was always working in the lab, someone was fighting for my rights in the workplace. I received health insurance at a reasonable rate and enjoyed cost-of-living wage increases. Now that I am a Post-Doc, I am on my own. I am working for a union to improve the life and work of Post-Docs at UMass.

-Caleb Rounds

Plant Biology

I’m involved with PRO/UAW because I think Unions are important.  Especially in an academic environment, where conditions for workers in different departments can vary quite a bit, a Union can provide representation to ensure fair and just working conditions.  UMass is an exceptional environment where many workers are unionized, but Post-Docs are one of the groups that lack representation.  A Union could improve working conditions for many Post-Docs in the UMass system.

-Heidi Garrett-Peltier

Political Economy Research Institute

I feel that having an union provides an opportunity for the Post-Docs to have an unified voice in presenting our views to the university. I think that PRO/UAW will help secure better and more uniform working conditions for all UMass Post-Docs.

-Mithun Mitra

Polymer Science and Engineering

Murthy Sekar – Chemistry

Jing Su – Chemical Engineering

Sreedhar Reddy – Chemistry

Felix Werner – Physics

Arindam Kundagrami – Polymer Science and Engineering