Bargaining Committee Vacancy Election

Columbia Postdoctoral Worker-UAW 4100 Bargaining Survey

Dear [name/colleague],

After jucy brainstorming sessions with our fellow union members at our Contract Kickoff Meeting and Monthly Membership Meeting, your Bargaining Committee is excited to present you the Bargaining Survey!

The Survey is crucial to understand what you want to see/improve/change in our next contract which we have the chance to negotiate every few years!

For us to be able to successfully advocate for everyone, we need to hear from everyone: 

What are your priorities? What are you concerned about for your upcoming years? How can we work together to make Columbia University a better place to work, to conduct our research, and to contribute to international scholarship?

We will be collecting surveys from you over the course of the next month.

We are also forming working groups to do research on topics relevant to contract negotiations and the needs of us Postdocs and Associate researchers > learn more and sign up to participate in a working group here!

And, in addition, we have two orientation+social events coming up on September 12th at CUMC and on the 13th at the Morningside campus to meet fellow postdocs/ARSs > mark your calendars! Details will be shared as the date approaches

Cheers!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Bargaining Committee

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

Our August membership meeting will take place on Thursday August 25th at 6:30pm in hybrid mode: both in person at CUIMC [room TBD] and on zoom. Use one of the links below to RSVP.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting in person.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting on zoom.

This meeting will be the last one before sending out the Bargaining Survey to our unit. As many of you know, our current contract will expire in June 2023 and the bargaining committee has drafted the bargaining survey that will be presented at this membership meeting before being sent out to all of our members. It is of vital importance for our success in the next campaign that everyone who is willing to actively help whether through joining the working groups or just by helping to spread the word and get most people to fill the bargaining survey. 

Among some important topics that will be discussed:

• We’ll hear a report on the UAW convention; 
• Report from the bargaining committee on the contract kick off meeting;
• and other priorities for our union, like the retirement petition, and the possibility of auditing the financial status of the university as a tool for our next negotiations.

In addition, we will have our monthly Finances and Executive Board reports and discuss some important steps in preparation for our next contract campaign.

In solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

Last Thursday we officially kicked off our Contract Renewal Campaign!!

As discussed, now is the time to develop our initial bargaining goals. Your active participation and inputs are of great support to the Bargaining Committee and the campaign for our contract renewal.

What we win on the Bargaining Table depends on the power we can build out of the Bargaining Table.

We will design a bargaining survey for union members to fill in and determine which issues need improvement in our next contract. To help us design it, we performed an initial survey at our kickoff meeting, and here are the most important topics raised:

Our next step is to create the Contract Action Teams. These working teams will help build a strong case to reach our Contract goals through research and members engagement. They will be in direct relation with the Bargaining Committee and lead the contract campaign, and facilitate quick communication with members about progress in bargaining.

We will continue building our Working Teams, who will focus on topics brought up by our survey: Inflation and salary raise, proportionate salary yearly increase, health benefits, bullying, inequities in the fellows (taxes, tuition waivers, health benefits), and patents and intellectual properties. If any of these topics are important to you, please sign up here or reach out to join or propose additional groups! These are low commitment, fun, and a great way to meet other postdocs with similar interests, as well as crucial to our bargaining process. 

You drive the process! Reach out and help us build the Contract Action Teams!

Stay tuned for new updates.

Cheers!

Your Friendly Neighborhood Bargaining Committee.

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

On Thursday, August 4th, our new Bargaining Committee is gathering a group of postdocs and ARS from all over the University who want to help us win a strong contract next year. This meeting will kick off our contract campaign, and be a chance for all of us to 1) come up with ideas for what we want to obtain in our next contract and 2) build a strategy to engage  postdocs to win on our major issues.

RSVP to attend the August 4th Contract Campaign Kickoff Meeting

Can’t make it in person? RSVP here for the Zoom link

After ratifying our historic first contract in 2020 – a win not only for researcher workers at Columbia, but for our colleagues throughout the city – the time has come to negotiate the terms of our second contract! With our current contract set to expire next summer, we want to be at the negotiation table as early as the end of this year – meaning the time to establish our priorities and goals is now.

We want to hear what’s most important to YOU as we plan our strategy to win stronger protections and benefits, as well as ensure we hold on to those we won during our first contract campaign, such as:

• Increase in minimum compensation from $51,367 for Postdoc Scientist/Scholars, $50,004 for Fellows to $60,000 for both, making Columbia Postdoc salaries the highest in NYC at the time of ratification – and a lump sum bonus for those already over the minimums.
• Right to six weeks of fully paid parental leave for both birth and non-birth parents available after one year of service.
• Unprecedented university commitment to work with CPW-UAW to develop policies and procedures addressing bullying.

But perhaps most importantly, we now have a formal mechanism to enforce our rights through a legally-binding contract and the strength of our solidarity with each other. 

The question we must ask is how we are going to use our solidarity to protect what we’ve won, win what we need, and ensure a fair and equitable workplace for all.

In solidarity,

CPW-UAW Bargaining Committee
PS – not a member yet? Join Here to ensure your benefits are protected and to join your voice with your colleagues. Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Kind reminder that our July membership meeting will take place this Thursday July 21 at 6:30pm in hybrid mode: both in person at P&S room 12-460 on CUIMC and on zoom. Use one of the links below to RSVP.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting in person.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting on zoom.

This meeting will be the last one before the UAW Constitutional Convention (held in Detroit on July 25-29) and we will discuss some of the topics that may come up to inform the votes of our representative. Please read more details about our membership meeting here.   

And if you have time, follow the links below to read some of the resolutions that may come for a vote and bring you thoughts 

• NEW! Resolutions from the Harvard Grad Students United-UAW Local 5118
• Resolutions from the Higher Ed Academic Locals on the West Coast
• Resolutions from Unite All Workers for Democracy Caucus (UAWD)

Columbia SEIU1199 workers picketing today at CUIMC!

We received a flyer (attached) with some information about the ongoing bargaginign of our Medical Campus colleagues in SEIU 1199, fighting for affordable healthcare and fair wage increases. Have a look at this video from a walk-in they did 2 weeks ago to deliver their proposals to management: https://www.instagram.com/p/CfaOiy3gjwK/ 

They will be at the medical campus at 630 W 168th St from 11-2 today, Tuesday 07/09/2022. Please consider stopping by to learn about their negotiations and show support from our union! 

In Solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

Our July membership meeting will take place on Thursday July 21 at 6:30pm in hybrid mode: both in person at CUIMC [room TBD] and on zoom. Use one of the links below to RSVP.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting in person.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting on zoom.

This meeting will be the last one before the UAW Constitutional Convention (held in Detroit on July 25-29). This Constitutional convention is historic in many ways for UAW. After the victory of the direct election voting system (one member = one vote) members in our union are discussing and will decide how to rebuild our union nationally, prepare for the times ahead and build more power for workers in the workplace and society as a whole. 

Among some important topics that will be discussed:

•  whether to form a new region, Region 6, in the West Coast, which will include several Academic Locals (like University of California and University of Washington); 
• whether we should have a ranked choice voting system to elect our national leadership (International Executive Board)
• and other priorities for our union, like whether to support Medicare For All, Climate Justice bills and initiatives, or invest resources to unionize the Electric vehicles sector.  

Our Local will send one delegate and one alternate, who will vote on amendments to the constitution and other resolutions related to our National Union. While we won’t know the final resolutions until the day our delegates register on Sunday, July 24, we would like to discuss some resolutions that may come to a vote at the convention. Please, follow the links below to read them and bring you thoughts on what you would like our representatives to bring up during the Convention (we may get some more before Thursday and we will share them).  

• Resolutions from the Higher Ed Academic Locals on the West Coast
• Resolutions from Unite All Workers for Democracy Caucus (UAWD)

In addition, we will have our monthly Finances and Executive Board reports and discuss some important steps in preparation for our next contract campaign.

In solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

RSVP for the City Council’s Rally TOMORROW in Support of NYC Unions

Tomorrow, 20 members of the City Council will be introducing a resolution expressing solidarity with union drives across New York City, and calling on employers to stop fighting against unionization. To support this resolution, there will be a rally tomorrow, Thursday, July 14th at 12pm in City Hall Park (Broadway Ave & Chambers St).

We will join with UAW members and workers across the city to send a strong message to the Columbia administration and other employers that they should respect the right to unionize and bargain in good faith with workers for fair union contracts.

Click here to let us know if you can join us: https://forms.gle/UFic4FZjEhxJwUuD8

Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts.

In Solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

We are thrilled to announce a new initiative that our Working Group on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (ARDEIA) has been working on for the past weeks. This group’s overarching goal has been to systematically review Columbia´s policies on diversity -with a focus on postdoctoral and associate research scientists- and lay the groundwork to fight for a contract with strong, progressive and inclusive language.

As we are geared towards our second contract negotiations, we are inviting you to a series of focus groups with the aim of collecting information on your experiences and perception regarding racism, discrimination, inclusion of minorities, accessibility, belonging and representation. These will be 1h-long discussions happening at lunch time (lunch will be provided) on 3 different days in each of the main campuses:

• CUIMC: July 12^th 12-1.30 pm, Vagelos P&S P&S, Todd Amphitheater, room 16-405 
• Morningside: July 19th 12-1.30 pm, Fairchild building, room 1000
• Zuckerman Institute: August 2nd 12-1.30pm, JLGSC L8-086

You can sign up for a Focus Group in this google form.

Participation is voluntary and will provide very valuable information, allowing us to design a roadmap of priorities for our bargaining committee negotiating our next contract.

Looking forward to discussing in depth these key issues with you all and hearing your ideas and feedback.

In solidarity,

In Solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

As the union of Columbia Postdocs and Associate Researchers we collectively face our employer to defend our rights and better our working conditions. However, there are singular moments in history when we are collectively called to defend the rights of our society in their entirety.   

Today’s Dobbs v Jackson decision of the Supreme Court officially overturns Roe v Wade, which has protected women’s rights to make decisions about their body, wellness and health since 1973. Now, these decisions are left to the single States, which will result in abortion being prohibited in large parts of the country. In addition, Justice Thomas stated that the Supreme Court should reconsider other rulings that protect contraception, same-sex relationships and same-sex marriage. Decisions like these add to the lack of support for working parents and children, the absence of affordable childcare, attacks on public education, and unaffordable health care.

This is a direct attack on women, queer, BIPOC and underpriviliged workers all across the country, aiming to create divisions among us and weaken our collective voices. As union members we want to send a strong message that an injury to one is an injury to all. As we decided during our two last membership meetings, we are coordinating with other UAW Locals to march and protest together. Please RSVP in the links below if you want to coordinate and march with fellow UAW members. 

• TONIGHT 6/24: at 6:30pm at Washington Sq. Park 
  • RSVP 

• SUNDAY 6/26- the Queer Liberation March at 1pm on Foley Sq. will also send a strong message to defend bodily autonomy and reproductive justice. 
  • RSVP

In Solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook.

THURSDAY MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Our June membership meeting will take place tomorrow Thursday June 23 at 6:30pm in hybrid mode: both in person at CUIMC [P&S room 12-460] and on zoom. Use one of the links below to RSVP.

RSVP to attend the membership meeting in person.
RSVP to attend the membership meeting on zoom.

The main topic proposed for this meeting will be the upcoming UAW Constitutional Convention and our Regional Director Beverly Brakeman will be in attendance to give us an update about the Region, the upcoming Constitutional convention and answer any questions you may have. If there are any questions you’d like to send to her in advance please reply to this email.

UAW MEMBERS DEFENDING WOMEN’S RIGHT TO CHOSE

The Supreme Court is likely to end the right of women to choose when/if to become a mother with their ruling on the Dobbs v. Jackson case which could be released any day.

As discussed at our last membership meeting, we want to be ready to send a strong message of rejection and of solidarity to our sisters across the country.

We are in communication with other organizations regarding marches and rallies that will be called the day the decision is released. We are also coordinating with other UAW Locals across the city to have a strong UAW presence. 

Please, RSVP here if you would like to participate! 

We will send you updates whenever the plans are clear. 

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON RACISM AND DISCRIMINATION AT COLUMBIA

We are thrilled to announce a new initiative that our Working Group on Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (ARDEIA) has been working on for the past weeks.
This group’s overarching goal has been to systematically review Columbia´s policies on diversity -with a focus on postdoctoral and associate research scientists- and lay the groundwork to fight for a contract with strong, progressive and inclusive language.

As we are geared towards our second contract negotiations, we are inviting you to a series of focus groups with the aim of collecting information on your experiences and perception regarding racism, discrimination, inclusion of minorities, accessibility, belonging and representation. These will be 1h-long discussions happening at lunch time (lunch will be provided) on 3 different days in each of the main campuses:

• CUIMC: July 12th 12-1.30 pm, Vagelos P&S, Todd Amphitheater, room 16-405
• Morningside: July 19th 12-1.30 pm, Fairchild building, room 1000
• Zuckerman Institute: August 2nd 12-1.30pm, JLGSC L8-086

Sign up for a Focus Group in this google form.

Participation is voluntary and will provide very valuable information, allowing us to design a roadmap of priorities for our bargaining committee negotiating our next contract.

Looking forward to discussing in depth these key issues with you all and hearing your ideas and feedback.

JOIN THE QUEER LIBERATION MARCH WITH UAW COLLEAGES

This year there is a special focus on attacks on transgender rights by conservative legislators across the country, but also on reproductive rights and bodily autonomy by the Supreme Court. That is why our local encourages our members to participate in the Queer Liberation March, Sunday June 26th at 2pm. If you´re interested in coming together for the march (NOTE: this is not a contingent) please sign up here. Mark your calendars!

In solidarity,

Columbia Postdoctoral Workers-UAW Local 4100 Executive Board

P.S. – To stay informed about our union, make sure to check our website columbiapostdocunion.org, and follow us on Twitter, and Facebook Slack.