Today we reached a tentative agreement for our first contract with the WCM administration. We are very proud to have won many substantive and important improvements in every major area we set as a priority. These gains are the direct result of tireless organizing, nearly a year and a half of bargaining, and our powerful strike threat. Together, we fought, and we won.
In response to our demand for greater job security at WCM, today the administration accepted our proposal to limit layoffs to situations where appropriate funding for a postdoc’s research becomes unavailable. We also won a $500 ratification bonus in partial recognition of the long delay to our urgently needed raises. While we believe WCM can and should do more, these wins substantially increase the stability of our jobs, and represent a significant step forward in our fight for secure and dignified working lives as researchers.
We are proud that this agreement includes new salary rates that, to our knowledge, would make postdoc minimum salaries at WCM among the highest in the country, if ratified. It would also establish a number of new workplace rights for researchers that would make WCM more equitable and inclusive, including protections against unfair termination, new rights for international workers, neutral resolution of grievances, stronger protections against discrimination, harassment, and bullying, paid parental leave, and enforceable rights to quality housing.
Contract Ratification Vote:
The strike is suspended pending ratification of this tentative agreement as our collective bargaining agreement. We recommend ratification of this tentative agreement. We will follow up soon with logistical information for voting on whether to ratify this agreement as our first union contract. To be eligible to vote you must have signed an authorization card and be currently employed as a Postdoctoral Associate, Fellow, or Visiting Fellow at WCM.
WCMPU-UAW Bargaining Committee
Caitlin Williams
Dagan Marx
Krithika Karthigeyan
Luca Posa