For updates since bargaining began in December 2008, please see the
bargaining section of this site (or go directly to past
bargaining updates).
For press releases from PRO/UAW please see
here.
Read past updates from PRO/UAW:
PRO/UAW Recognized by UC
November 5, 2008
Last week, PERB verified that a majority of Postdoctoral Scholar Employees, Postdoctoral Scholar Fellows and Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs have signed cards choosing PRO/UAW as their Union. Yesterday the University of California recognized PRO/UAW as the exclusive bargaining representative of Postdoctoral Scholars at all 10 of the University of California campuses. The Union and the University will now be able to bargain over the terms and conditions of employment for Postdocs.
We will keep you updated as this process progresses.
In Solidarity,
The PRO/UAW Bargaining Team
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Update On University's Objection
October 28, 2008
Yesterday PRO/UAW and the University of California reached an agreement regarding UC's objection to the request for recognition petition filed by PRO/UAW for Postdoctoral Scholars at the University of California. PRO/UAW and UC have agreed to include Paid Direct Postdoctoral Scholars in the unit of employees that would be represented by the Union. Once PERB certifies that PRO/UAW has a majority of this newly agreed upon unit, the University will recognize PRO/UAW as the collective bargaining representative for Postdoctoral Scholar Employees, Postdoctoral Scholar Fellows and Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Directs at all ten of the University of California campuses.
Postdocs are continuing to get ready for bargaining with the University and are filling out a new Bargaining Survey. If you have not yet filled out a Bargaining Survey and would like to do so, please feel free to reply to this email and one of the people organizing on your campus will get back in touch with you.
Please also check out the website, www.prouaw.org, for updates and other important information, and we will keep you posted as things continue to develop.
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PERB Verifies Majority!
August 20, 2008
On June 30th, PRO/UAW filed our unionization petition with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) of California. This week, PERB has confirmed that a majority of all University of California Postdocs have signed up for the Union! Thank you for your support!
Postdocs make a significant contribution to the research mission of the University of California, and UC's role at the cutting edge of scholarly academic research is in large part due to that contribution we make. Our working conditions are the University's research conditions. The formation of our union allows us to sit down across the bargaining table from UC to negotiate over wages, benefits and other terms and conditions of employment.
For us to move forward with the collective bargaining process, the following must happen:
The first step will be the election of a bargaining team by Postdocs. Postdocs will have the opportunity to run for the bargaining team and elect its members.
The second step will be for that bargaining team to write bargaining proposals based on surveys of Postdoc working conditions that Postdocs will have an opportunity to fill out. Postdocs will then have the opportunity to vote on those proposals.
Once the initial bargaining proposals are ratified the third step will be for your elected bargaining team to begin negotiations with the University. With the input in the preceding steps, our elected Postdoc representatives negotiate with UC administrators over issues of wages, rights, and other employment conditions and benefits. After both sides come to an agreement, Postdocs will have an opportunity to vote on that agreement. Remember: nobody pays any dues or fees until after this first agreement has been democratically approved by Postdocs. Thus, it will be very important for you to stay apprised of the process so that you can make an educated decision when it comes to ratifying the contract.
With the birth of our union, we look forward to working productively and efficiently with the University of California to come to an agreement that is both fair for Postdocs and will help strengthen the thriving pursuit of academic research that is so vital to the University of California.
For more information please go to www.prouaw.org.
In Solidarity,
The PRO/UAW Organizing Committee
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PRO/UAW Files for Unionization
July 2, 2008
Fellow Postdocs,
This week PRO/UAW filed our unionization petition with the Public Employment
Relations Board (PERB) of California. A majority of all University of California Postdocs have signed up for the Union! First of all, thank you for your support! You made this possible!
Second, we'd like to remind you of the process from here on out:
PERB will count the cards and then certify our Union when they have determined that we do indeed have a majority of all Postdocs supporting the Union. PERB will be the only entity reviewing the cards; the university will not see the union cards.
Postdocs will have the opportunity to run for the bargaining team and elect its members. The bargaining team goes over the information that you have all provided in discussions with organizers and on the short survey that is attached to the union authorization card that you all signed. Based on this feedback, the bargaining team will perform a more detailed survey in order to determine bargaining priorities, which Postdocs will vote on prior to negotiations. Your feedback is vital to this process.
With that input, our elected Postdoc representatives negotiate with UC
administrators over issues of wages, rights, and other employment conditions and
benefits. After both sides come to an agreement, all Postdocs will have an
opportunity to vote on the contract. Remember: nobody pays any dues or fees until after the first contract has been democratically approved by Postdocs. Thus, it will be very important for you to stay apprised of the process so that you can make an educated decision when it comes to ratifying the contract.
The upcoming months will be an exciting time. We look forward to working
productively and efficiently with the University of California to come to an
agreement that is both fair for Postdocs and will help strengthen the thriving
pursuit of academic research that is so vital to the University of California.
For more information please go to www.prouaw.org.
In Solidarity,
The PRO/UAW Organizing Committee
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