Columbia Admin’s is preventing progress on core bargaining issues

On Monday, August 7th, we will begin voting to authorize a strike in response to the Administration’s inadequate offers for a second contract and their unwillingness to bargain in good faith, including unlawful behavior such as blocking salary raises agreed out of our contract until a new contract is ratified. 

A strike authorization vote is a signal to Columbia that we are united and committed to taking whatever collective action is necessary to win a fair contract!

  • We have won victories in a number of issues: 
    • real recourse from bullying once the new policy is in place; 
    • healthcare emergency fund: central money committed to postdocs/ARSs to help cover unexpected medical expenses; 
    • $1,500 in relocation costs for new postdocs/ARSs; 
    • Fellows are offered $3,000/year to compensate for the lost benefits due to their independent contractor status

🗳️ Mark your Calendar! How to vote starting Monday🗳️

  • On Monday August 7th you will receive an email with a link to a vote. 

As the Bargaining Committee of our union, with the full support of our Organizing Committee, we urge everyone to Vote Yes to authorize us to call strikes if the Administration’s behavior justifies such actions! 

  • You can read the Strike Authorization Vote frequently asked questions here. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have additional questions and concerns.

Will you commit to voting in favor of a Strike Authorization? Sign Here to Help Organize! 

🔥 We are not alone!🔥

  • In the same week, our postdoc colleagues at Mount Sinai are also initiating a Strike Authorization Vote in order to pressure their own Administration in their negotiations! 
  • We are coordinating with postdoctoral workers that are unionizing across NYC & Princeton and stand in solidarity. We will not stop until we have done our part to improve our university and the research community as a whole!
140 postdocs ARSs rallied last week. They demonstrated their support for an SAV: “If you support a Strike Authorization Vote, raise your hand and say ‘Aye!”

Quick recap from this week’s Bargaining Sessions: 🏃💨 🏃⏱️

The negotiation rollercoaster continues! 🎢 

  • On Monday our bargaining committee presented a comprehensive package for compensation, housing and childcare. It would make any moves on our proposal for compensation contingent on CU Admin offering institutional support to postdocs/ARSs in the form of a Housing Stipend and enhanced childcare support. The administration did not respond.

  • On Tuesday we discussed and reached agreements on protections for Intellectual Property, Authorship and Professional development:
    • We won the ability of the union to defend postdocs/ARSs and, hopefully, resolve issues of Intellectual Property & Authorship when they arise. When a worker has a problem related to IP or authorship we will be able to convene a meeting that can become a tool for the union and its members to raise and resolve the issues. The University and any PIs involved in IP/authorship disputes will have to explain their choices, with us as a union on the other side to defend the interests of our workers.

  • CU Admin is pressuring us to accept a mediator that will run negotiations. This is a power move trying to get us to concede without making any realistic offer. A mediator could be useful if the two parties were close.

Best,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Bargaining & Organizing Committees.

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