UC reaches deal for 20% raises as it moves to resolve 15-day student worker strike

The University of California and a union representing 12,000 academic workers early Tuesday reached a tentative contract agreement that could help end a 15-day strike that has upended classes at all 10 campuses.

The deal calls for raises of 20% or more for postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers as well as increases in benefits.

They represent one of three groups of striking UC academic workers. The other two units consist of academic student employees — teaching assistants, tutors and graders — and student researchers at the undergraduate and graduate level. UC has yet to reach contract agreements with those workers.

Union leaders say the contract represents the largest salary increase ever for postdoctoral scholars across the country. Today, these workers receive about $4,500 to $5,500 a month.

“We are proud to have reached agreements that address the soaring cost of living, and reflect the value of our contributions at UC,” said Neal Sweeney, president of UAW Local 5810 representing the 12,000 scholars and researchers, in a statement. Sweeney has worked as a postdoctoral scholar and academic researcher in the UC Santa Cruz biology department.

Until the contracts are ratified, researchers plan to continue striking in solidarity with the academic student employees and student researchers who still have yet to reach an agreement with the university. The bargaining units have yet to set a ratification schedule.

“The university hasn’t made a compensation proposal to the student researcher unit in 12 days and counting,” Sweeney said on a media call Tuesday. “They need to come to the table in a serious manner.”

As part of the contracts, most postdoctoral researchers will receive salary increases of 20-23% by October 2023, up to $12,000. The contract ensures a 7.2% annual raise for postdocs on the salary scale and 3% annually for those at the top of the pay scale. The lowest paid postdoc will see a total salary increase of 57% by 2027.

Most academic researchers will receive a 29% salary increase over the life of the 5-year contract, although the precise raises depend on the researcher’s title and tenure.

In addition to salary increases, all workers represented by the two bargaining units will receive eight weeks of paid parental leave at 100% pay. That’s an increase of four weeks for postdocs, and up from 70% pay for academic researchers. The contracts include longer appointments to increase job security, as well as clauses to guard against workplace harassment increase protections for workers with disabilities. The university also committed to providing free transit passes within three years to all postdocs and academic researchers who want them.

Organizers credited the demonstrations across the 10 campuses with pushing these contracts over the finish line.

“We definitely saw a direct relationship between the thousands and thousands of academic workers who were on the picket lines and making progress at the bargaining table,” Sweeney said. “It just shows the power of a union, and the power of workers coming together.”