UC proposed an awful economic package in bargaining yesterday and is now advertising it as an across-the-board increase. This is a LIE. Here’s why:
- In their first compensation proposal in October 2021, UC offered raises of a mere 3%, which would have translated to <1% accounting for the NIH scale raise in our current contract which took effect on May 1, 2022.
- After taking action across the state and seeing that Postdocs are demanding major improvements, UC is now proposing 4% raises of the minimum scale on October 1 – but this is not enough to keep up with inflation (a.k.a a real pay cut), much less the cost of living
- UC’s 2022 raise would only apply to Postdocs who are paid on the minimum scale — if you’re paid above the scale you would see no guaranteed increase until October 2023.
- In this package, UC also moved backwards from previously offering 6 weeks of paid parental leave to 4 weeks (which we already have)
- UC’s package also does nothing to address childcare, housing, relocation costs, or visa fees and imposes higher health care costs by as much as 73% and parking rate increases (by as much as 25% at UCSF)
Some perspective on why we must demand better from UC:
- After bargaining our first contract in 2010, UC Postdocs had the highest guaranteed minimum pay in the country
- Since then, our salaries have increased due to our contract, but have been drastically outpaced by rising rents and pay at other nearby institutions (like Stanford and USC)
- In contrast, our compensation proposals would move Postdocs out of rent burden and address cost of living by providing salary increases, lower costs for health benefits, and housing and childcare stipends, in addition to significant increases in paid family leave and relocation benefits.
How do we win? UNITE AND FIGHT!
Sign up here to get involved to make sure Postdocs get justice in our new contract — a fellow UAW 5810 Postdoc will reach out to plug you into organizing in your department and at your campus. Don’t forget – all members are also welcome to attend our bargaining sessions with UC. You can click here to RSVP for bargaining, and both sides’ proposals are available on the tracking sheet.
In solidarity,
Postdoc Bargaining Team and Alternates
Anne Klotz, UC Berkeley
Raul Rodriguez, UC Berkeley
Chris Hart, UC Davis
Adam Davis, UC Davis
Zack Urbach, UC Irvine
Bryan Neumann, UC Irvine
Tim Kodalle, LBL
Jesse Livezey, LBL
James Boocock, UC Los Angeles
SJ Spencer, UC Los Angeles
Brad Barker, UC Merced
Ingrid Padilla Espinosa, UC Merced
Tyler Bell, UC San Diego
Adam Caparco, UC San Diego
Jade Moore, UC San Francisco
Anne Sapiro, UC San Francisco
Evan Plunkett, UC Santa Barbara
Tejas Navaratna, UC Santa Barbara
Jordan Eizenga, UC Santa Cruz
Follow your union on Twitter @UAW5810!