We have completed tentative versions of 20 articles for our first contract. We are still negotiating over 8 main articles, with a varying number of outstanding issues within each article. If the administration team will make proposals that truly acknowledge the value we bring to Columbia, we believe we can reach a fair and full agreement in the near future. However, their intransigence on numerous issues continues to present obstacles. See below for an outline of our agreements so far (click on the article for details) and remaining issues.
Tentative Agreements (TAs)
Tentative, Tentative Agreement (TA if resolve full package)
Unresolved (scroll down for a summary)
Compensation
Insurance and Other Benefits
Leaves of Absence
Non-Discrimination
Union Security
Management Rights
Duration of Contract
SUMMARY OF UNRESOLVED ISSUES
| ISSUE | CPW-UAW POSITION | COLUMBIA ADMIN POSITION |
|---|---|---|
| Compensation |
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| Non-Discrimination |
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| Leaves of Absence |
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| Insurance and Other Benefits |
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| Management Rights |
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| Union Security |
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| Duration |
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Click on each title to read the Tentatively Agreed contract language
Discipline and Discharge
Improves researchers’ security by establishing “just cause” protections against arbitrary discipline or termination. With “just cause” protections, the University would have to establish good cause for a researcher to be fired or disciplined.
Employment Files
Establishes researchers’ right to access, copy, and add comments to employment files maintained by the University.
Health and Safety
Codifies in our contract the University’s legal obligations regarding health and safety, thereby improving researchers’ ability to protect ourselves from working in unsafe or hazardous conditions including: the right to grieve health and safety problems; the right to relevant health and safety training; provision of proper equipment; protections from being assigned work that poses an immediate danger; provision of proper equipment; protection against retaliation for raising health and safety concerns; and the establishment of a joint Union-University health and safety committee.
Intellectual Property and Copyright
Clarifies that Postdoc and Associate Researchers have rights under the University IP and Copyright policies. Establishes grievable protections against retaliation for pursuing or participating in complaints. Joint Union-Management Committee may explore possible procedures to address authorship disputes.
Job Posting
Ensures that the university will continue following current policy regarding posting of available positions for Postdoctoral and Associate Researchers encouraging transparency and equal opportunity for candidates.
Research Integrity
Clarifies that Postdoc and Associate Researchers have rights under the Research Integrity policy. Establishes grievable protections against retaliation for pursuing or participating in complaints.
Severability
Ensures that if any provision of the contract is found to be unlawful, the rest of the contract remains in effect and the parties will negotiate with respect to the provision found to be unlawful.
Training and Orientation
The University shall pay associated fees and provide paid time for employees to attend required or supervisor-approved, work-related trainings, orientations, workshops and courses.
Travel
The University shall provide travel advances, direct travel funding, or timely reimbursement of expenses for required travel; researchers shall also continue to be covered by Travel Accident Insurance.
Joint Union-Management Committee
Establishes a joint committee to meet at least twice per year to discuss matters affecting Postdocs that are not related to any active grievances.
Workload
Establishes protections against arbitrary, unreasonable work schedules as professional, salaried employees; while our workweek is normally at least 40 hours, schedules must be ”reasonable and related to the research needs” and should allow for weeks less than 40 hours.
Workspace and Materials
Commits the University to provide workspace, facilities, equipment, materials and access to the internet and other network resources necessary to perform assigned duties; also ensures “timely reimbursement” for any employee approved to purchase required materials, equipment or services.
Appointments
Ensures that appointments are normally one year to Associate Research Scientist/Scholar, Postdoctoral Research Scientist/Scholar, and Postdoctoral Research Fellow positions as defined in the current Faculty Handbook; ensures that all researchers receive written appointment notice including basic information about the position, including summary of anticipated duties, URL for benefits information and URL for the Union contract; and commits university to make best efforts to process paperwork in order to avoid delayed pay.
Recognition
Codifies recognition of the Union and describes the unit represented by the Union, consistent with our National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) case in 2018; commits the University to continue discussing how the parties can engage in collective bargaining over terms and conditions of employment for individuals who receive no salary or stipend remuneration from the University.
Holidays
Researchers shall be entitled to 14 paid holidays per year, including 2 (Medical Center) or 3 (Morningside) personal days; ensures right to use personal days for religious purposes; establishes right to alternate day off if project requires researcher to work on a holiday.
Vacations
Researchers shall earn 2 days per month of paid vacation, up to 23 days (28 days after 20 years of service), which must be used by June 30 of the year following the year in which it was earned; unused vacation days can be paid out upon termination of appointment.
Professional Development
The University will maintain support for training and professional development programs. In furtherance of professional development and career goals, researchers will have the right to work with their PI/mentor to develop and discuss an Individual Development Plan (IDP) and the right to receive at least one written performance evaluation within each 12-month period.
No Strikes/No Lockout
During the life of the contract, the Union and University agree they will resolve disputes under the contract through the process in the contract. To that end, the union agrees that it will not encourage or sanction a strike and the University agrees it will not lock out employees while the contract is in effect.
Union Access, Rights and Activity
This article would help us have a strong union: ensures that Columbia provide our Union with basic information about employees in the bargaining unit; provides Union time and space to orient new employees about their rights under the contract and membership in our Union; provides reasonable time for Postdoc and Associate Researcher union representatives to handle grievances; and provides reasonable time to attend Union meetings.
International Researchers
This article would establish new rights for international researchers: the right to reasonable paid time off to attend immigration-related proceedings; the University will make reasonable efforts to allow a researcher to work remotely if unable to return to the US for reasons outside their control; the University will hold a position open for at least 60 days in cases where the researcher has been unable to obtain work authorization; the University will make best efforts to work with the Union to help a researcher who has proper visa and work authorization documentation but has been barred entry to the US.
Grievance and Arbitration
This article establishes a timely and fair process for resolving alleged violations of our contract, which gives us equal footing to enforce the terms we negotiate. While the contract encourages informal resolution of disputes, researchers and the Union also have the right to take an unresolved dispute to a neutral arbitrator if a dispute cannot be resolved at earlier steps of the process.