New UC postdoc contract includes ‘key improvements,’ union says

By Special to The Enterprise

Postdoctoral students at all 10 University of California campuses voted to ratify a new contract last week by a vote of 3,471 to 42, a 98.8-percent margin, improving their working conditions and setting the stage for advancements over the course of the next year.

“We’re proud to win key improvements for postdocs in a number of important areas,” said Anke Schennink, president of UAW 5810, the union that represents UC postdocs. “These include maintaining guaranteed annual raises, improved health benefits and new protections for recent immigrants.

“UC managers wanted wage cuts and less job security, but we held firm and fought off all concessions. We know there is more work to be done, but this contract sets the stage for even more improvements.”

Postdocs have already earned their Ph.Ds and perform research in departments across the university system. They work on subjects that range from new cures for cancer to clean energy to new models of the universe and beyond, and are crucial to UC’s research mission. Many of them are international academics who have recently immigrated to the United States.

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[Source]: The Davis Enterprise