After our most recent postdoc contract bargaining session with the University on August 13, 2019, we think it would be best to pursue interest arbitration in order to secure a fair contract for UConn Postdocs. Since May, the University has moved very slowly, and in recent sessions, has continued to reject many reasonable and fair provisions on core issues such as Non-Discrimination and Harassment, Healthcare, Retirement, and Compensation.
A strong majority of UConn postdocs voted earlier this year to authorize the bargaining committee to invoke arbitration if we deemed it necessary to win a fair contract. As we now prepare to formally invoke arbitration, we nevertheless want to ensure that members have an opportunity to hear about the decision from the Bargaining Committee, and for us to address any questions you may have. We will hold a conference call on Wednesday, August 28 at 6:00PM for anyone who is interested in learning more about the status of negotiations with the University and the process of invoking arbitration. If you would like to join the call, please RSVP here. If you cannot join us for the call, you can read our FAQ to learn more about interest arbitration or reach out to one of your bargaining team members. As always, we will also continue to send members updates about critical developments in the contract negotiation process.
Finally, we would like to note that invoking arbitration does not preclude continued negotiations, and we hope the University will work harder to reach agreement in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, we feel it is absolutely necessary to move forward with the interest arbitration process at this point.
RSVP here to join the conference call re Interest Arbitration
In Solidarity,
UConn Postdoc Union, UAW Local 6950 Bargaining Committee
Christina Baer, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Kirsten Grond, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
Artemis Louyakis, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
James Mickley, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Neranjan Perera, Institute for Systems Genomics