RSVP for our next bargaining session tomorrow (Monday) at 1pm!
Last week, on Monday, December 2, we met with the WCM administration for our 19th bargaining session. We were disappointed to see the administration make only minimal movement on economic articles at the session, including in areas intended to make WCM more competitive and equitable for international workers and postdoc parents.
We were able to make advances in a few areas during the session, including on Holidays and Vacation. On Holidays, we reached a tentative agreement after WCM agreed to language providing postdocs with four personal days (distinct from vacation or sick leave) . On Vacation, we made some progress towards an agreement, but WCM continued to push back against the ability to be paid out for unused vacation days, which Sinai postdocs have in their contract.
On other economic issues, WCM made much less progress. On Housing, WCM again refused to make any improvements on housing availability, limits on rent increases, and most other aspects of our proposal. However, after explaining at our prevous session how restrictions on couples units negatively impact international postdocs, WCM agreed on Monday to remove the requirement for postdocs to submit a marriage certificate or certificate of domestic partnership before being able to live in postdoc housing with their significant other.
On Parking and Transportation, WCM continued to insist on lowering the status quo by discontinuing access to the shuttle during the morning, a change that would lower postdoc quality of life at WCM. On Compensation, WCM’s response went below their initial counter proposal on this topic. After members of our bargaining committee pointed this out, WCM said they would revise their proposal. We will keep fighting for a contract with minimums that account for years of stagnant pay, and a salary scale reflecting the value so many of us bring to WCM through our years of postdoc experience at other institutions.
We also saw an overall lack of movement on proposals that would strengthen equity and inclusion at WCM. On Childcare, the administration continued to refuse pay into a dedicated childcare benefit – a core priority for our union that would demonstrate a real commitment to retaining talented researchers who struggle with childcare-related costs. WCM also continued to reject our proposals for an Emergency Support Fund and a Relocation Benefit, both of which our colleagues at Mount Sinai have access to.
In Leaves of Absence, WCM did not have a response to our proposal for 12 weeks of paid parental leave. The administration did agree to a slight increase in the number of sick days, but continued to push for a number below what postdocs at Mount Sinai have in their contract. WCM also continued to reject paid visa renewal leave, a basic provision that already exists at Mount Sinai that would make WCM more inclusive of those of us on visas. Insultingly, the administration justified their position by saying that international postdocs could use their four personal days to renew our visas, and suggested that paid time off for visa renewal woudl be unfair to U.S. citizens.
One postdoc observer shared this comment with our Bargaining Committee after the session:
It is clear that we need to increase the pressure in order to make more progress on these and other issues. Our next session will take place tomorrow (Monday, December 9), from 1pm-3pm – click here to observe the session.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts,
Caitlin Williams, Pediatrics
WCMPU-UAW Bargaining Committee