FAQs

Last Updated: May 5th

General Overview

A union is an organization that serves as the agent representing a specific group of employees. This group is called a “bargaining unit.” A union negotiates on behalf of a bargaining unit to establish collective terms and conditions of employment, such as pay and benefits.

United Postdoctoral Researchers of Rockefeller-UAW, affiliated with the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) (the “Union”), is the Union certified as the exclusive bargaining representative for members of the postdoc bargaining unit.

All postdoctoral researchers employed by Rockefeller University in the following classifications are in the bargaining unit and represented by UPROR-UAW as their exclusive bargaining representative: Postdoctoral Associate, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Research Associate.

All other employees, including Senior Research Associates, individuals employed by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, managers, and supervisors are not in the bargaining unit.

UPROR-UAW filed a petition to represent all postdoctoral researchers who provide services to Rockefeller University on August 15, 2024. An election was held on September 18-19, 2024. In the election, Rockefeller University Postdocs and Research Associates voted to be represented by the Union as their exclusive bargaining representative for purposes of negotiating their terms and conditions of employment with the University. 242 votes were counted from 292 eligible voters, with a total of 167 ballots cast in favor of unionization and 75 against. Following the election, the National Labor Relations Board certified the Union as the exclusive collecting bargaining representative for Postdoctoral Associates, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Research Associates employed by the University.

All postdoctoral researchers employed by Rockefeller University in the classifications Postdoctoral Associate, Postdoctoral Fellow, and Research Associate are represented by UPROR-UAW.

No, while postdoctoral researchers are not required to become dues paying members of a Union, all postdoctoral researchers who hold a position that is in the bargaining unit are represented by the Union as their exclusive bargaining representative and will be bound by the terms of any collective bargaining agreement negotiated between the University and the Union.

Collective Bargaining

Collective bargaining is the process by which a union and an employer negotiate terms and conditions of employment for all members of the bargaining unit, including pay, benefits, terms of appointment, and hours. A union has the exclusive authority to bargain collectively on behalf of all unit members.

Federal law requires that an employer and a union engage in good faith negotiation over terms and conditions of employment. The parties must meet, confer, and consider each other’s proposals with a genuine desire to reach a collective bargaining agreement (CBA). This duty to negotiate in good faith does not require compromise or agreement on any proposal and does not require the parties to reach an overall agreement. A union cannot guarantee that they will deliver on any promise for improvement it made during an election campaign. Instead, both parties need to agree to the terms of a CBA.

Yes, if a collective bargaining agreement is reached, all individuals within the bargaining unit are bound by the terms of that agreement, whether or not they object to any of its terms.

The Parties have reached tentative agreements (TAs) on ten topics that will become effective only once the Parties agree to and ratify an entire CBA.

Although the University is glad the Parties were able to reach tentative agreements on numerous articles, members of the University bargaining committee have found negotiations to be time consuming and difficult because of the union’s rigid approach focused on achieving identical or better language as agreements at other institutions – such as Weill-Cornell and Mt. Sinai – often without recognizing that Rockefeller is a fundamentally different, and smaller, institution.

Tentative agreements (TAs) have been reached on the following ten topics that will become effective if and when the Parties ratify an entire CBA:

The Parties have also substantially finalized the language for four other topics: Training, Workspace and Materials, Professional Development, and International Researcher Rights.

Protecting Moral, Religious or Ethical Objections: Rockefeller has proposed that Postdocs or Research Associates with personal, religious, or other objections to paying union dues or fees should have the option to contribute to a charity instead. This approach has been accepted by other unions—including by the UAW at Caltech. The University believes that this proposal helps protect against “free riders” – all Postdocs or Research Associates must contribute something in exchange for the benefits of union representation – while also protecting your colleagues’ “freedom of conscience” – Postdocs or Research Associates with moral, ethical, religious or other objections can donate to a charity instead of paying the Union.  The UAW often takes positions on political and social issues that go well beyond anything happening beyond the bargaining unit – for example, both the UAW Region and its related unions routinely take positions on Israel and Gaza.   Some Postdocs and Research Associates may disagree with these positions, and the charitable option gracefully accommodates this tension.  But, the Union here has refused to engage with this proposal – and instead proposed that Postdocs and Research Associates who refuse to pay dues or fees should be terminated from Rockefeller employment.

Providing a Fair, Fast and Free Path to Addressing Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Complaints: The Union summarily rejected the University’s proposal, which we believe provides the best option for Postdocs and Research Associates to have a fair, fast and free resolution to any complaints of discrimination, harassment or retaliation.  Let us be clear – there is no place for discrimination, harassment or retaliation at Rockefeller University, and we are committed to providing Postdocs and Research Associates with the best path to resolving these claims.  As opposed to the Union’s proposal, which would leave Postdocs and Research Associates on their own to pursue claims in court – an often multi-year process with a low chance of success – the University’s proposal gives Postdocs and Research Associates access to mediation and, if that fails, binding arbitration for any claims.

To be clear, if mediation fails, under the University’s proposal you can bring your claims before an arbitrator, typically a former judge, who applies the same legal standards and can issue the same remedies (such as damages) as a judge in court.  The only difference is the forum.  And the forum, in arbitration, is better for everyone involved.  Postdocs and Research Associates will be provided with a representative and/or attorney by the Union; and the entire process will be paid for by the University and the Union.  The data also backs this up. While claims in court take years, research indicates arbitration cases on average only take several months to resolve.

Other postdoc and graduate student unions have agreed to this process – including the UAW at Caltech.  It is also contained in dozens of agreements for other industries in New York City. These employers, unions and unit members see it as a benefit to all.  It is the best option to provide a fair, fast, free and confidential process to handle these sensitive claims.

The Union has refused to engage with us on this proposal at all – rejecting it wholesale even though the University has told the Union that we are prepared to discuss proposed modifications.

If you want more information – please review the presentation we made to the Union on this important topic [Rockefeller Non-Discrimination Proposal].  We encourage you to learn more about the University’s proposal.

Disclosure of Personal Visa and Citizenship Information: The Union has demanded that the University produce to the Union every two weeks, among other information, a list identifying the race/ethnicity, gender, preferred pronouns, citizenship, and visa status of each Postdoc and Research Associate. The University believes this is sensitive confidential information that many Postdocs and Research Associates may not want widely disseminated, particularly in this environment.  The University, therefore, proposed producing this information to the Union subject to a confidentiality agreement.  We viewed this as a “win win.”  The Union gets the information they claim is needed, and the Union and the University – together – take steps to agree to keep the information as confidential as possible.  The Union has so far rejected this compromise.

UPROR-UAW and the University have a legal duty to bargain in good faith. If, despite good faith negotiations, the parties reach an “impasse” and cannot reach an agreement, this might lead to litigation over whether an impasse, as defined under the labor law, has been reached, and the parties could resort to economic tactics. For example, UPROR-UAW might engage in a strike, and the University has a right to unilaterally implement its last proposal

Examples from other institutions is instructive.  Postdoctoral researchers at Mount Sinai went on strike in 2023. During the strike, postdocs paused research and other significant functions, causing significant disruptions to the institution and their own academic work and research. During a strike, there generally is no obligation under the labor law for an institution to pay its striking employees.

Union Membership

Yes, union membership typically costs members money according to a collective bargaining agreement and the union’s constitution and bylaws. The Union may charge its members dues, initiation fees, fines, assessments, and other costs. Union dues and fees often are directly drawn from members’ paychecks. In New York, an employee can be required to pay union dues or “fair share” fees (often close to the cost of union dues) to get or keep a job. If provided for in a collective bargaining agreement, members must pay union dues or fair share fees, even if they voted against unionization.

UAW membership dues for bargaining unit postdoctoral researchers at Columbia and Mount Sinai are currently 1.44% of gross monthly income.

Unit members would likely pay 1.44% of their monthly pay for union dues. Based on a $74,263 salary, this would be at least $1,069 in annual membership dues.

Unions also may increase dues, so there is no way to be certain that a union dues percentage would remain the same during a postdoctoral researcher’s time in a union.

All postdoctoral researchers whose positions fall within the bargaining unit would be bound by the collective bargaining agreement. Even if they chose not to become a union member and pay dues, they may be required to pay the union a fair share or representation fee if provided for in the agreement.

Fair share fees, which are set by the union, typically cost about the same as or are close to union dues. For example,

  • At the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, membership dues and fair share fees are both 1.44% of postdocs’ gross pay.
  • In Columbia postdocs’ collective bargaining agreement, it is a condition of employment that all postdoctoral researchers in the bargaining unit either elect to become a union member and pay 1.44% of gross income in union dues or object to membership and pay a “fair share” fee of 1.22% of gross income.

As discussed more above, Rockefeller has proposed that Postdocs or Research Associates with personal, religious, or other objections to paying union dues or fees should have the option to contribute to a charity instead. This approach has been accepted by other unions—including by the UAW at Caltech.  But, the Union here has so far refused to engage with this proposal – and instead proposed that Postdocs and Research Associates who refuse to pay dues or fees should be terminated from Rockefeller employment.