Postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers were back at work Monday at all 10 of the University of California system’s campuses after ratifying a labor agreement, but thousands of other graduate students remain on strike.
The five-year agreement ratified Friday provides pay hikes of up to 20%, increased family leave, child care subsidies and lengthened appointments to ensure job security, according to a statement from United Auto Workers Local 5810. The agreement was ratified by a wide margin, with a final count of 89.4% of postdocs and 79.5% of academic researchers voting yes in favor of ratification, according to a statement from United Auto Workers locals 5810 and 2865.
The postdoctoral employees and academic researchers make up about 12,000 of the 48,000 union members who on Nov. 14 walked off the job and onto picket lines. Approximately 36,000 graduate student teaching assistants, tutors and researchers are bargaining separately and remain on strike, calling for increased pay and benefits.
The past week has brought “a lot of emotions,” said Evan Holloway, a postdoctoral fellow in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California, San Francisco and a member of the bargaining team for postdoctoral employees. While Holloway returned to work at his lab Monday, he spent that same night in Zoom meetings with members of other bargaining units, he said, sharing information and getting updates on how best to support those who are still striking.
“I’m feeling really pleased with ratifying our contract and closing that chapter for postdocs, and also feeling hopeful that grad workers will get a contract soon. So it’s back to work, but it’s not a return to quote-unquote ‘normal.’ Because the fight is not over,” Holloway said.
