May 14 and 17, 2023: BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all Columbia graduating students!! And we recommend: a Postdoc position with a Union
BIG CONGRATULATIONS to all Columbia graduating students! Seeing you on campus on the Commencement day was 🤩🤩 Wishing you all the best and all the success you deserve in any path you will choose! During the event, we extended our congratulations, handed out flyers and informed graduate students about unionized institutions they could consider during their postdoctoral work. In our contract negotiation with Columbia’s administration, we are advocating for a more favorable agreement for Postdocs and ARSs who struggle to meet their needs while maintaining the highest quality of their research.
May 11, 2023: 4th Session – All our non-economic articles presented. Admin’s turn to disclose how much they want to spend in our contract!
At our 4th bargaining session our Bargaining committee have presented all our non-economic proposals and now it is in the Administration’s court to respond how much are they willing to spend on supporting postdocs/ARSs. Despite us repeatedly saying that we want a compensation proposal for the next session they just replied with vagueness that we may get one on May 23rd. We may need to increase the pressure! Join the sessions – Witness the negotiation as it unfolds! Join the Organizing Committee and our slack for live updates and commentary during the bargaining sessions. Click to read reports of all the Bargainig Sessions.Â
May 11, 2023: at the postdoctoral research symposium we show support for our union!
While bargaining was happening, union members had the chance to present their amazing scientific work at the postdoctoral research symposium – and showed their support for the ongoing bargaining! The symposium was a chance to catch up on the latest research news and simultaneously, exchange ideas on bargaining. 40 out of 57 posters displaying flyers in support of our Union. THANK YOU to everyone who is showing us their solidarity, appreciation, and gratitude to what the CPW is doing. It’s been very fulfilling. We couldn’t make it without your support. 🤓✊
May 11, 2023: CPW and AAUP deliver a petition to reimburse the retirement contributions frozen in 2021
At 10 am we and the American Association of University Professors delivered a petition to reimburse the retirement contributions that were frozen in 2021 due to pandemic-related financial decisions. 800+ signatures were delivered to the Provost’s office! There was no financial hardship for CU Admin during the pandemic >> see the financial report for Columbia University! 🔥🔥
May 10, 2023: Postdocs and ARSs at Lamont Rallied in Support of a Fair Contract
After our 3rd Bargaining Session we gathered at Lamont for an update on negotiations with coffee, T-shirts and the lovely Lamont campus vibe. We discussed why we need a fair contract that includes improvements in our contract demands!
May 2, 2023: We finally have a report on Columbia’s financial status! 🔥
CPW-UAW members funded an investigation of Columbia’s finances jointly with the Columbia chapter of AAUP, the American Association of University Professors. On May 2nd heard from Howard Bunsis, an institutional finance expert and professor of accounting at Eastern Michigan University who has examined the publicly available financial data for several universities, including Johns Hopkins, and Rutgers. This has allowed researchers at these institutions to contradict claims of institutional poverty and highlight management bloat. Want to know how much money the university has made from your research? Want to know how much of that money is going towards raises for top administrators? Click to watch the meeting and/or read the report
April 20, 2023: Our First Bargaining Session with a room full of Postdocs/ARSs
10 am, collective walking to Studebaker building and bargaining table formation. We filled the room and put forward our proposals. [Click to read more]
April 20, 2023: We start bargaining strong with a rally before the session
We discussed the process and agreed to close the feedback period for members to submit final edits to our contract in three days. Click check our presentation from the April meeting
April 17 2023: Our Bargaining Committee send our proposals to Columbia’s Administration
In anticipation of our upcoming negotiations, the Bargaining Committee emailed a package containing a description of our bargaining goals and the changes we propose to our contract and some guidelines on negotiation parameters and modalities between our two bargaining committees including hybrid bargaining. [Click to check our Proposed Contract Changes and our Proposed Rules for Bargaining]
April 16 2023: Ending period for members to provide feedback on contract
We discussed the process and agreed to close the feedback period for members to submit final edits to our contract in three days. Click check our presentation from the April meeting
March 2023: The goals were turned out into contract language by members across 9 Town Halls
The specificities of each of these goals was worked out by postdocs and Associate researchers in over 9 Town Halls over the month on March. [Click if you miss them!]
February 2023: We produced a draft for contract demands to discuss with our co-workers
This initial draft for contract demands was amended, discuss and voted by union members at our February membership meeting. This initial draft served to have conversations with coworkers over the next months to change, improve and define what we want to win in our next contract.Â
January 2023: We start discussing the results from Surveys filled in by a majority of members
The Bargaining Committee analyzed the results of Bargaining Surveys done by a majority of the ~1650 postdocs/ARSs at Columbia. The results were presented at our January membership meeting where a draft for contract demands was discussed an voted on. >> Since January postdocs and Associate researchers have been signing in support, discussing and submitting feedback to change and improve our demands.
Dec 2022: CPW Winter Socials
Come join your union comrades to celebrate the season and get us through to bargaining with some fun and camaraderie! At two different locations:Â CUIMC and Morningside campuses.
Sept 2022-Mar 2023: Working Groups of Postdoc/ARSs to prepare contract topics
Over the course of several months Working groups are formed, initiated, consulted, revived with Bargaining in mind (but not only). We analyzed current status at Columbia and other institutions, make topic issue surveys to understand further different issues and come up with proposals for imrpoving our contract. [Click to join one of our Working Groups]
Aug 4th 2022: Contract Kickoff Meeting
On Thursday, August 4th, our new Bargaining Committee gathered with a group of postdocs and ARS from all over the University who want to help us win a strong contract next year. This meeting kicked off our contract campaign, and we discussed: 1) ideas for what we want to obtain in our next contract to design our Bargaining Survey and 2) build a strategy to engage postdocs and ARSs to win on our major issues.
May 2022: We elect our Bargaining Committee
As per our bylaws (Art. 9) we elected 5 members at large to be part of the Bargaining Committee along with 4 members of the Executive Board. We have an extra alternate without voting powers.Â
June 27: CPW-UAW participate in the Queer Liberation March
On June 27th, we joined fellow UAW union members from, ACT-UAW Local 7902 (NYU adjuncts and New School part-time faculty, student workers, and health service employees), BAM union (Brooklyn Academy of Music ) and UAW Local 2120 at the Queer Liberation March!
December 28: Election of our Union Stewards.
Our stewards elections period ended with 18 stewards elected from 23 open positions. Stewards are Postdocs or ARSs colleagues that will discuss and help with any concerns or questions you may have, whether specific to your workplace, funding, benefits, or more general thoughts about the current moment. With the ratification of our first union contract, we now have a process to help you advocate for yourself by enforcing workplace protections. Whenever you have questions or doubts arise, do not hesitate to reach out to your steward.
November 2: Approval of our Local Bylaws. Click here to read.
Bylaws are an important governing structure of union locals. They address things like the structure and frequency of membership meetings, the number of stewards, how officers and stewards are elected and can be recalled, how future bargaining committees are structured and elected, and how members can amend bylaws in the future. On our October membership meeting we discussed a final draft for our Local bylaws written by Postdocs and ARS volunteering as our bylaws committee. They based the draft on bylaws from other Academic union locals and feedback by CPW members discussed at meetings and send online over a period of 10 days. The online vote on whether to approve the bylaws concluded with 100% of those participating voting yes to ratify our bylaws.