University of California officials today (Nov. 29) announced tentative agreements with the United Auto Workers, or UAW, on new five-year contracts for postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers. Once ratified by union members, the new contracts will be effective through Sept. 30, 2027.

The new contracts address key issues including fair compensation, job security and paid family leave.

“Our dedicated colleagues are vital to UC’s research activities and we are very pleased to have reached agreements that honor their many important contributions,” said Letitia Silas, executive director of systemwide labor relations. “These agreements also uphold our tradition of supporting these employees with compensation and benefits packages that are among the best in the country.”

Highlights of the agreements include:

Postdoctoral scholars

• Compensation
  • Implementation of a new salary scale by April 1, 2023, which will result in average salary increases of 8% for all postdocs
  • Annual pay increases each October, with an increase of approximately 7.5% in the first year and 3.5% in each of the remaining years
  • Annual experience-based pay increases of 3.7% for eligible postdocs
• Child care
  • Up to $2,500 annual reimbursement for child care expenses with flexibility to use funds for child care expenses related to professional travel
  • Annual $100 increases in 2024, 2025 and 2026
• Appointments — Two-year initial appointments (up from one year) followed by one-year reappointments
• Paid family leave — Effective Jan. 1, 2023, a new special Postdoc Paid Leave program of eight weeks of 100% paid family leave for all postdocs.
• Respectful work environment — New contract provision to address abusive conduct and a dispute resolution process.
• Transit
  • Access to a pretax program to pay for transit costs and an e-bike purchase discount program
  • UC agrees to attempt to negotiate reduced-fee or no-fee access to regional transit system(s)
  • Formation of a joint labor management committee to explore additional measures

Academic researchers

• Compensation — Pay increases of 4.5% in the first year, 3.5% in the second, third and fourth years, and 4% in the 5th year.
• Appointments — All reappointments no longer have exceptions for less than minimum length
• Paid leave
  • Effective Jan. 1, 2023, eight weeks 100% pay for family care and bonding for eligible academic researchers
  • Increased bereavement leave
• Respectful work environment — New contract provision to address abusive conduct and provide a dispute resolution process
• Transit
  • Access to a pretax program to pay for transit costs and an e-bike purchase discount program
  • UC agrees to attempt to negotiate reduced-fee or no-fee access to regional transit system(s)
  • Formation of a joint UC-UAW committee to explore additional measures

In the last year, UC has settled contracts with unions representing lecturers, nurses, police and clerical and other administrative staff. These agreements were the result of both sides working collaboratively to find solutions and demonstrating flexibility and a genuine willingness to compromise at the bargaining table. UC has approached the negotiations with UAW in the same fashion.

Negotiations for postdoctoral scholars began in July 2021 and for academic researchers in May 2022.

The UAW also represents academic student employees (teaching assistants/readers/tutors) and graduate student researchers, and contract negotiations for those groups are ongoing. Information on current university proposals for these groups is available here.