Labor Relations

May 23rd Status update for Postdocs

Strike authorization: According to the UAW 4121 website and Twitter, the Postdoc unit has authorized a strike vote. The Union has a noon meeting scheduled on May 25 to make a decision about whether to strike.

Update: The University and UAW have been bargaining since October 2022 and have met twenty-three times, reaching tentative agreement on 40 articles including two new articles– military leave and reasonable accommodations.

Unresolved issues: The parties are still bargaining over wages, overtime and contract duration. Current proposals from the Union and Employer are outlined below.

Wages

The Union’s current compensation proposal is:

  • Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum salary for Postdoctoral Scholars is $65,508.
  • Effective January 1, 2024, the minimum salary for Postdoctoral Scholars and stipend for Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows shall be $72,000.
  • Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows with new appointments, reappointments, or anniversary dates (whichever comes first) after January 1, 2023, will have their total stipend increased to $65,508 on July 1, 2023 or upon appointment, reappointment or anniversary date (whichever comes first).
  • Effective July 1, 2023, the minimum for all Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows will be increased to $65,508.
  • Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs (PDR) with new appointments, reappointments, or anniversary dates (whichever comes first) after June 1, 2023 shall be paid a minimum of $56,484.
  • Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs (PDRs) with new appointments and reappointments on or after January 1, 2024, must receive a minimum of $58,743.
  • All Postdoctoral Scholars and Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows shall receive a salary/stipend increase of no less than 2% every year on the anniversary date of their appointment.
    • Postdoctoral Scholars that received a pay increase of 2% or more effective on or about January 1, 2023, will not be eligible for another pay increase for 12 months or until their anniversary date in 2024, whichever is later.
    • Postdoctoral Scholars-Fellows that receive a pay increase of 2% or more between February 1, 2023 and July 1, 2023, will not be eligible for another pay increase for 12 months or until their anniversary date in 2024, whichever is later.

Under the Union’s proposal, Postdoctoral Scholars who were just brought up to $65,508 in January 2023, would get an additional approximate 10% increase in January 2024. For some Postdoctoral Scholars, this would result in increases of over 30% in 12 months.

The Employer’s current compensation proposal is:

  • Effective January 1, 2023, the minimum salary for Postdoctoral Scholars was increased to $65,508. This has already been implemented and resulted in an average salary increase of nearly 13%.
    • Of the approximately 480 Postdocs that received a pay increase effective January 1, almost 375 received more than 5%, including about 130 Postdoc Scholars that received an increase of 20% or more.
  • Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows with new appointments, reappointments, or anniversary dates (whichever comes first) after January 1, 2023, will have their total stipend increased to $65,508 retro to January 1, 2023.
  • Effective July 1, 2023, the minimum salary for all Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows will be increased to $65,508.
  • Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs (PDRs) must receive a minimum of $53,760 from their non-UW funding source.
  • Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs (PDRs) with new appointments and reappointments on or after January 1, 2024, must receive a minimum of $54,840 from their non-UW funding source.
  • All Postdoctoral Scholars and Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows shall receive a salary/stipend increase of no less than 1% every year on the anniversary date of their appointment.
    • Postdoctoral Scholars that received a pay increase of 5% or more effective January 1, 2023, will not be eligible for another pay increase for 12 months or until their anniversary date in 2024, whichever is later.
    • Postdoctoral Scholars-Fellows that receive a pay increase of 1% or more between January 1, 2023 and July 1, 2023, will not be eligible for another pay increase for 12 months or until their anniversary date in 2024, whichever is later.
  • Postdoctoral Scholars who received a pay increase of 5% or less effective January 1, 2023, will be eligible for a pay increase of no less than 2% upon ratification or on their anniversary date whichever is later in 2023.

Both parties have proposed to retain the current contract language that states for the purpose of retention of an individual Postdoctoral Scholar, the Employer may enter into an agreement regarding a salary increase at any time with that Postdoctoral Scholar.

The increases Postdoctoral Scholars receive at their anniversary date are a minimum, allowing for PIs, departments, schools and/or colleges to provide larger increases. PIs, departments, schools and colleges may also provide retention increases to Postdoctoral Scholars at any point during the appointment period.

Labor Relations believes this proposal is reasonable and allows individual PIs, departments, schools and colleges, the flexibility to budget for and provide additional increases that maintain competitiveness in the market.

Overtime

The Union is currently proposing that all Postdoctoral Scholars remain overtime exempt employees by continuing to be paid above the state overtime salary threshold. As the annual overtime exempt salary threshold is based on inflation, these minimums are not confirmed until October of the previous year.

The Employer’s current overtime proposal would apply to any salaried Postdoctoral Scholar employed by the University that becomes overtime eligible in accordance with federal or state overtime regulations. Salaried Postdoctoral Scholars would be required to track their hours worked as directed and would be compensated at a rate of one and one-half times the employee’s straight time hourly equivalent rate for work in excess of forty hours in one work week. Overtime eligible Postdoctoral Scholars would also be able to accrue compensatory time.

Duration

The Union’s current duration proposal is for a contract that expires December 31, 2024.

The Employer’s current duration proposal is for a two-year contract, expiring May 31, 2025.

Next Steps

The next UW & UAW Postdocs bargaining session is scheduled for June 2, 2023 and will be held virtually.