UC offers new salary scale, wage increases, and enhanced family support benefits for postdoctoral scholars. Reaches agreement with UAW on new respectful workplace provision

Recently, UC presented the United Auto Workers union with an economic proposal that includes wage increases and enhanced family-related benefits as part of a proposed multi-year collective-bargaining agreement for postdoctoral scholars. Highlights of UC’s proposal include:

Supportive, respectful working conditions:

• UC has listened closely to UAW and postdoc concerns about work environment issues and is pleased to announce that UC and the UAW have reached a tentative agreement on a new Respectful Work Environment provision. This has been an important and complex issue to work through, and we appreciate the union’s partnership and collaboration.

Increased Wages:

• A new UC salary scale offer for postdocs averages at least a 6% increase over the current scale. Additionally, UC proposed increases that include annual range adjustments of 3% and experience-based step movement once per year for each postdoc, resulting in approximately a 6.5% pay increase for every postdoc in each year of the contract.
• UC’s proposed annual range adjustments are higher than typical NIH scale increases.

Benefits and family support: 

• A brand-new childcare reimbursement program for eligible members provides up to $2500 for childcare costs for qualified dependents.
• UC is proposing four weeks of paid non-Family Medical Leave parental benefit and eight weeks of paid Family Medical Leave for Family Care and Bonding with a maximum combination of eight weeks of pay for family care and bonding per year.

NEXT BARGAINING SESSION: UC and the UAW are scheduled to meet again this week, and UC remains committed to negotiating in good faith to reach an agreement as soon as possible.

We will continue to keep you updated on our progress, and as always, thank you for your many contributions to our research mission and the UC community.