Postdoc Student Union Makes Case for Fair Pay, Job Security

By Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs

Ongoing negotiation regarding worker’s compensation proves frustrating for postdoctoral students within UC

University of California postdoctoral students will have the option to vote online or by mail Oct. 1 through 9 on whether to allow their union’s (UAW 5810) bargaining team to call for a strike if contract negotiations with UC fall through.

The union, which represents more than 6,000 postdoctoral students across all 10 UC campuses, is demanding the University clarify overtime pay regulations, decrease the salary gap between women and men, provide childcare and increase job security for international postdocs. A supermajority of two-thirds is required to authorize a potential strike. The bargaining team has been negotiating with the University since May, and the union’s current contract, signed in 2010, expired on Sep. 30.

Union president Anke Schennink said postdocs are increasingly frustrated with what they see as the University negotiating the team’s lack of concern for reaching a collective bargaining agreement.

“They don’t act seriously,” Schennink said. “They don’t respect postdocs, but also they have been really, really slow. It takes them a really long time to respond on major issues like compensation.”

According to a press release the union issued, the lack of childcare support for postdoctoral students has forced many women out of their programs.

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[Source]: Daily Nexus