Postdocs from across campus trained to be picket captains this week!
Less than a week after setting our strike deadline, we met with WCM to receive their response to our last counter proposal, in which we made massive movement towards their position.
In response to our continued pressure, WCM accepted our proposal to create an emergency support fund that postdocs can use to cover unexpected expenses, including childcare and housing-related costs. WCM maintained their current position of layoffs with minimal notice for any reason, while saying that this was not their final position, suggesting further movement closer to the deadline. WCM also continued to reject backpay to compensate for the time this process has taken, in part because of their insistence on Force Majeure for roughly seven months. In order to facilitate reaching an agreement as quickly as possible, we requested an additional small group Zoom session for later this week to provide WCM with a response before our session on the 29th.
It’s clear WCM wants to reach an agreement prior to our strike deadline of October 30th. While we are glad to see WCM moving towards us, their movement is not enough to satisfy our core priorities of fair layoffs and backpay.
We also hope to avoid the need to strike, but until they agree to meet these core priorities, we are continuing to prepare to strike starting October 30th. If you have not yet, please sign up for shifts on the picket line! To receive strike pay, you must sign up for at least 20 hours at the picket line per week.
You can also sign up for our final scheduled bargaining session at 12pm on Wednesday, October 29th.
If you have any questions or concerns, check out this FAQ or respond directly to this email.
In solidarity,
Luca Posa, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
On behalf of the WCMPU-UAW Bargaining Committee