Click here to RSVP to observe our next bargaining session!
On Monday, July 14th, we held our 10th bargaining session with the University, and the tone and pace were markedly different from previous sessions. Both Parties came prepared with multiple counterproposals, and we were able to engage in focused bargaining that used all of the time reserved for the session.
This was also our first session following Union members’ open letter to Rick Lifton, signed by 80% of UPROR-UAW members, urging the administration to engage in bargaining with urgency and respect. The University mentioned the letter at the onset of the session, expressing frustration with union activity that happens away from the bargaining table. But, as we mentioned in our regular updates, activism like this open letter is what gives us power at the table and is our legal right. With regular and open demonstrations of support from the UPROR community, we have a much stronger democratic mandate to speak for researchers.
The University brought seven new counterproposals on Employment Records, Health and Safety, Intellectual Property and Research Misconduct, Job Postings, Professional Development and Training, Travel Reimbursement, and Workload — a marked shift from their past practice of delaying and withholding. This proves what we already know: when we act together, we move them. That said, the content of most of their proposals still falls far short of what Postdocs and Research Associates at Rockefeller deserve. In some cases, the language they proposed even undercuts the protections we already have. We will keep fighting for a contract that meets and, in areas that are particularly important to union members, exceeds the standards set by other unionized postdocs in NYC and beyond.
Meanwhile, our Bargaining Committee responded with counterproposals on eight key articles: Appointment Security: Appointments and Reappointments, Discipline and Dismissal, Grievance and Arbitration, International Researcher Rights, Job Postings, Union Rights and Access, Union Security, and Workspace and Materials, continuing to push for stronger rights, transparency, and equity for all postdocs — regardless of job title, visa status, or funding source. Our job remains to hold the line and push back against any attempts to lower existing standards or sideline important issues.
As always, our power at the table is a direct reflection of your support. The open letter made a clear impact. But it’s not only letters that matter. Showing up to observe a session or join an action also helps keep the pressure on and shows the administration that we’re united. Our next in-person session is scheduled for Wednesday, August 06, 2025, from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM ET. Click here to RSVP if you’d like to attend this or a future session and see the process firsthand!
You can access the full text of these proposals using our online bargaining tracker.
Have questions or feedback? Don’t hesitate to reply to this email — your input strengthens our collective power.
In solidarity,
Deniz Abdusselamoglu
On behalf of the UPROR-UAW Bargaining Committee