The rockefeller university

Dear Rockefeller University Postdocs and Research Associates:

We are writing to you as the faculty representatives of the University’s bargaining committee to provide an update on the ongoing collective bargaining between the University and the UAW, the union representing University Postdoctoral Researchers and Research Associates.

Since our May 6 update, the union’s negotiating committee has proposed an exorbitant package of economic demands which are far out of step with the collective bargaining agreements (“CBA”) that postdocs represented by the same union agreed to earlier at Mt. Sinai and Weill-Cornell. Until now, the union has repeatedly claimed it is looking to the Mt. Sinai and Weill-Cornell agreements as precedent for the Rockefeller agreement.

Rockefeller already provides a salary and benefits package that is comparable to—and in most cases substantially better than—those offered by peer institutions. Despite this, the union is demanding contract terms that are far beyond industry norms and would be economically irresponsible, including more than a 27% increase to the postdoctoral minimum salary, more than a 44% increase to the research associate minimum salary, and major expansions to healthcare, retirement, and other benefits that exceed the generous benefits Rockefeller already provides and is well above the agreements the union itself accepted at Weill Cornell and Mount Sinai.

The union’s demands, if enacted, would impose extraordinary new costs on the University and its laboratories at a time of growing financial stress and uncertainty across biomedical research institutions nationwide.

As you know, NIH funding and award activity have slowed considerably, particularly in areas central to Rockefeller’s research mission. The University has taken a number of cost-containment measures and difficult operational decisions to protect Rockefeller’s long-term financial sustainability.

This past Tuesday, we communicated our concerns to the union committee in a face-to-face bargaining session—our 30^th meeting over more than a year of good-faith bargaining. We explained that the union needs to move away from their exorbitant salary and benefit demands and come back to the bargaining table prepared to make a fair deal that works for both sides. We proposed that the parties should meet for three days in a row in July in marathon sessions and expressed confidence that with this level of dedication by both sides, we would be able to reach a contract.  It is customary to meet to bargain for back-to-back days as parties near the end of negotiations, particularly for a first contract.  The University proposed that the union meet with us on July 14, 15 and 16 or July 21, 22 and 23. The union, so far, has not agreed to meet on either of those back-to-back days. The University hopes the union will take advantage of this proposed path to a resolution.

From the outset, the University has approached negotiations with the goal of reaching a fair, responsible, and sustainable agreement that recognizes the important contributions of our researchers while also preserving Rockefeller’s long-term financial stability and unique research mission. We believe this should be a shared goal of the University and the union. Unfortunately, the union’s excessive demands and their silence on our back-to-back days of negotiations offer are significant obstacles to reaching this objective.

The University remains committed to bargaining in good faith and believes the union must present a more realistic economic proposal to allow us to respond effectively to move the negotiations forward. We, and the other members of our committee and the University, remain committed to pursuing a fair and responsible resolution and will continue to keep you informed as negotiations progress.

Sincerely,

Tom Sakmar and Mike Young