In a significant move towards better working conditions, early career researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have voted overwhelmingly to unionize with a tally of 703 to 38 in mid-July.
The decision embraces a collective effort to advocate for improved salaries, enhanced job security, and specific protections for international scholars amidst a politically charged environment that risks scientific funding and visitor status.
The union will represent postdoctoral researchers and research associates, both of whom are scholars with PhDs engaged in academic research, teaching, and various professor-related tasks.
This unionization effort aligns with similar movements that have emerged in recent years, mounting pressure on academic institutions to acknowledge the rights and needs of graduate students and medical residents at Penn who have also formed unions.
By joining the United Auto Workers (UAW), the postdocs and research associates at Penn align themselves with a larger trend, as more than a quarter of UAW members now work in academia rather than traditional auto industry roles.
In a statement following the National Labor Relations Board’s certification of the election results, a spokesperson for Penn indicated an anticipation of the union initiating the bargaining process.
Union leaders expressed their enthusiasm over the favorable vote, which saw participation from approximately 1,500 eligible voters at the institution.
In light of the vote, organizers will begin polling members to identify key priorities for forthcoming negotiations.
Among the primary aims articulated during the unionization campaign are job security, salary upgrades, and greater safeguards for researchers from abroad, particularly given the current U.S. political landscape.
Ryan Fair, a radiology researcher at Penn and an organizer in the union’s efforts, noted that many postdoctoral researchers and research associates are in their late 20s and early 30s.
With typically lower salaries than many of their peers in doctoral roles, Fair highlighted the financial constraints that impact their ability to purchase homes, save for retirement, or start families—milestones that many others at similar life stages are able to achieve.
The impact of unionization has been evident at other institutions, where postdoctoral researchers have secured salary increases exceeding 10%.
A compelling aspect of the campaign centered around the more than half of the postdocs at Penn who hail from outside the United States and whose visas are contingent on their positions at the university.
Nelanthi Hewa, a union organizer and postdoctoral researcher focusing on journalism and labor, emphasized the need for longer contracts and better job security for these international scholars.
Motivated by the prevalence of one-year contract arrangements among international staff, Hewa became more involved in the union effort, advocating for job stability to be extended to all researchers.
She also raised concerns regarding the financial burden of visa renewals, noting that international scholars are required to leave the U.S. to renew their visas, a costly and inconvenient process.
Despite presenting this pressing issue during negotiations, the graduate student union’s proposal to assist with visa renewal costs was reportedly declined by the university, according to local reports.
William Drayer, another union organizer and a materials scientist, expressed solidarity with the graduate student union, highlighting the collaborative environment they share in laboratories.
The UAW, representing the interests of postdocs and research associates, has also found itself thrust into action amidst recent developments in government funding, participating in legal actions against the National Institutes of Health to contest the termination of hundreds of research grants, which has impacted various institutions, including Penn.
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