WCM has reached out to our elected Bargaining Committee asking for agreement to increase the current minimum postdoc salary from $58,500 to $61,008 and adjust the rest of the experiential scale accordingly, in recognition of the new recommended NIH minimums announced on April 24, 2024. WCM also made clear that our union would retain the right to make additional proposals on wages as part of the collective bargaining process.
This offer of an initial raise is a direct result of our campaign to unionize and the broader movement of researchers fighting to raise standards across the country, and would allow for the first increase to WCM minimum rates since 2020. Our Bargaining Committee believes it would be appropriate to increase minimum salaries, and we have responded to WCM with several proposed changes in order to move forward. These changes include making clear that PIs can still provide additional increases or raises above minimum rates, including mid-appointment review increases. We have also proposed that increases be retroactive to July 1st and implemented by July 31st at the latest.
While any forward movement on wages is welcome, these increases are far from sufficient to reflect postdocs’ qualifications, achievements, and the increasing cost-of-living in New York City. Our Bargaining Committee remains fully committed to fighting for significant improvements in wages among other issues as we prepare to get back to the bargaining table next week on Tuesday, July 16. RSVP to attend the session on July 16 and future sessions!
Bargaining Update: We also received a set of new counter proposals from WCM in advance of our July 16 session. While WCM made some progress on several articles, they also introduced a new proposal that would allow them to maintain their ability to dismiss postdocs without a performance-related reason in the initial months of our appointments (“Probation Period”). No other postdoc union contract includes such a provision, and its inclusion in our contract would not only weaken protections to below what postdocs at Mount Sinai and Columbia have, but would also undermine standards for researchers across the country.
As WCM continues to push back against basic rights and protections, and effectively delay bargaining over economic issues, your participation in this process is increasingly important. Get involved by joining a focus group to discuss issues such as wages, housing, childcare, discrimination, among others – Click here to learn more about focus groups and an organizer will reach out!
Lastly, if you or your postdoctoral colleagues face any issues with salary increases or have questions about the NIH minimum scale, or if you’d like to get more involved in organizing efforts, reach out at organizing@wcmpostdocunion.org.
In solidarity,
Krithika Karthigeyan
WCMPU-UAW Bargaining Committee