Thread by @stealyrcarbon

🚨 UC POSTDOCS OF @UAW5810 SETTING NEW INDUSTRY STANDARDS ONCE AGAIN! 🚨 (a 🧵)

Postdocs and Academic Researchers reached a Tentative Agreement on a contract last night. I want to highlight some of the transformative Postdoc gains in this TA:
(1/11)

Compensation: Most Postdocs will receive a 20% salary increase by Oct 2023, with 7.2% yearly increases for at-scale postdocs thereafter, making the median Postdoc salary at UC among the highest if not the highest at universities the country. (2/11)

Family benefits: 8 weeks of fully paid parental leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, eligible immediately upon appointment (no FMLA req)— a doubling of the status quo; together w/the first ever $2500/yr Postdoc childcare benefit that increases yearly (3/11)

Job security: Initial appointments of 2 years to ensure longer visas; Guaranteed leave time for immigration appointments and protections if immigration laws change (4/11)

Green transit: E-bike discounts and a commitment to free transit passes within 3 years of ratification— the first ever public transit benefit in our contract (5/11)

Access needs: going beyond ADA including interim measures; clear appointment guidance for seeking access ahead of appt

Abusive conduct: grievable protections against bullying and abusive conduct (expansion beyond harassment & discrimination) with strict timelines (6/11)

More details and improvements in the full TA.

Up until the strike, UC made clear that we would have to pick and choose between almost all of these issues (e.g. some salary and nothing els; more childcare but less parental leave, etc.) (7/11)

The first Postdoc strike together with the largest academic worker strike in this country pushed them to give it all to us. Congratulations to every striker and worker leader who made this the best Postdoc contract, setting an industry standard once again. (8/11)

The TAs will be put to a ratification vote by membership. Until then, @UAW5810 Postdocs and ARs are STILL ON STRIKE!

It is disgraceful that UC has not responded to @sruuaw wages proposal in 12 days while we have been on strike. (9/11)

Now UC can’t use PD and AR bargaining as an excuse not to bargain with @uaw2865 @sruuaw. All UC academic workers are going to win wage increases that address the cost of living and just work environments. #FairUCNow #UAWonSTRIKE (10/11)

Congratulations to the bargaining team, every union member who went on strike and brought a friend or coworker into the fight, and every ally who stood with us. I am damn proud to help lead this union with so many amazing people. (11/11)