
At the University of California and the University of Washington, organized academic employees have made critical improvements in the workplace and advanced political power by organizing. Being affiliated with the national UAW means joining the union’s 80,000 organized academic employees nationwide. Tapping into the support and resources of the UAW’s network enhances the power of academic employees to win improvements at the university, state and even federal level including science funding and immigration reform. As the single largest union for graduate student employees and Postdocs in the US, UAW has achieved important progress due to the strength of its membership, long-standing relationships and unique knowledge of the issues. Read more below about Academic Reseachers’ campaign to unionize as well as the progress organized academic employees have won at UC and UW:

- Majority of UC system researchers ratify Academic Researcher Union contract (Maxine Mouly, Daily Cal, 11/14/2019)
- Nontenure-track researchers ratify first contract with the University of California (Michael Price, Science Careers, 11/14/2019)
- UCOP reaches tentative agreement with Academic Researchers (Aditya Katewa, Daily Cal, 11/5/2019)
- University of California, Researchers reach contract deal (US News & World Report, 11/5/2019)
- UC researchers reach first contract deal (by Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed, 11/4/2019)
- Academic Researchers United, UC announce tentative agreement (by Jackson Guilfoil, Daily Nexus, 11/4/2019)
- University of California researchers reach contract deal (San Diego Union Tribune, 11/4/2019)
- Academic Researchers seek contract with UC system (by ARU members Samantha Hurst and Lisa Schwarz, Santa Cruz Sentinel, 10/5/2019)
- Academic researchers sign petition urging UC to stop delaying negotiations (by Armando Carrillo, Daily Bruin, 9/15/2019)
- Union groups rally at UCSF, meet with UCSD chancellor to discuss rights for academic researchers (by Meera Srinivasan, Daily Cal, 7/24/2019)
- Equitable Working Conditions are Essential to Improving Research at UC (by ARU / UAW 5810 Bargaining team member Christina Priest, Medium, 7/11/2019)
- UC Must Improve Job Security and Provide Clear Paths to Career Advancement (by ARU / UAW 5810 Bargaining team member Benjamin Lynch, Medium, 6/09/2019)
- Sustainable Career Paths Will Mean Better Research Outcomes and a Better UC (by ARU / UAW 5810 Bargaining team member Jocelyne Fadiga, Medium, 5/13/2019)
- New union for academic researchers receives approval from UC (by Armando Carrillo, The Daily Bruin, 4/18/2019)
- U of California Academic Researchers Unionize (by Colleen Flaherty, Inside Higher Ed, 4/4/2019)
- Staff scientists at the University of California set to form a first-of-its-kind union (by Rebecca Robbins, STAT, 4/3/2019)
- University of California staff researchers opt to form a union, joining postdocs (by Beryl Lieff Benderly, Science Careers, 2/6/2019)
- UC Academic Researchers need better working conditions (Op-ed by Fred Bauman, UC Berkeley Project Scientist and Jocelyne Fadiga, UC San Francisco Junior Specialist in The Daily Cal, 1/29/2019)
- Academic Researchers Vote to Unionize (The California Aggie, 1/16/2019)
- UC Academic Researchers Choose Union Representative (Daily Cal, 11/28/2018)
- U California Researchers Form Union (Inside Higher Ed, 11/28/2018)
- University of California Researchers Form Union (Bloomberg Law, 11/28/2018)
- UC Researchers Unionize (Politico, 11/28/2018)
- PERB Finds a Majority of University of California’s 5000 Academic Researchers Choose to Form a Union (Press Release, 11/27/2018)
- ‘A long time coming’: UC academic researchers file for union representation (The Daily Cal, 10/3/2018)
- Majority of University of California’s Nearly 5,000 Academic Researchers File Petition for Union Representation (Press Release, 10/1/2018)
Science Funding
Science is under attack by the Trump administration. Scientists, researchers and academic employees are not powerless to stop these attacks, however. In fact, organizing is one solution to the problem – by increasing power, the research community is better able to reject the attacks on critical funding for scientific agencies, research grants, climate science and more. UAW Local 5810 (the Union of Postdocs at UC) has long fought to protect national science funding, including back during the Sequester when billions of dollars in cuts were threatened. The UC Postdoc Union rallied the support of key legislators across the country to oppose these devastating cuts to science and innovation, and they will be taking to the streets again for candidates and leaders who support fact-based research and increased investments in science and research funding. Read more:
- Standing Up for Science in the Age of Trump by Congressman Salud Carbajal (Santa Barbara Independent, 9/4/2017)
- United to Defend Research and Researcher Values by UAW 5810 President Anke Schennink (Medium, 8/23/2017)
- Why I March: A profile of Sarah Myhre, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Washington (KUOW, 4/17/17)
- Unionized scientists march in protest of attacks on facts (San Francisco Chronicle, 4/11/2017)
- Securing workplace rights for scientists in the age of Trump by UAW 5810 President Anke Schennink (Naturejobs, 4/5/2017)
- Funding Cuts Leave Wounds in Research by UAW 5810 Vice President Neal Sweeney (Daily Cal, 1/27/2014)
- 39 Members of Congress Join UAW to Stop Devastating Cuts to Science Programs (UAW 5810 Press Release, 11/21/2013)
- The Fiscal Cliff Casualties You Won’t See by UAW 5810 Vice President Neal Sweeney (Huffington Post, 12/12/2012)
- Super Committee Fail Jeopardizes Science Research by UAW 5810 Vice President Neal Sweeney (Huffington Post, 11/1/2011)
Visa & Immigration
Particularly in this time of high uncertainty around immigration and visas, unions of academic empoyees have a unique role to play in defending members’ rights to live and work in the US. With a high percentage of international members, UAW 5810 (the Union of Postdocs at UC) devotes key resources to supporting International Postdocs, and improving visa and appointment policies to reduce administrative distractions and enhance job security. UAW has played in active role in opposing Trump’s travel ban, and backs candidates and officeholders who support immigration reform and the value that talented individuals from around the globe contribute to the science and research community. Read more:
- If you have some free time, the Supreme Court’s amicus brief on Trump’s latest travel ban is important and relevant reading.
- UAW 5810 President Anke Schennink filed a declaration on behalf of UC Postdocs in federal district court to support a federal lawsuit seeking to overturn the visa ban.
- UAW 4121 submitted a declaration in support of blocking the travel ban. (2/3/2017)
- UAW 4121 worked with Governor Jay Inslee on the safe return of one of a member affected by the travel ban (The Seattle Times, 2/2017)
- Letter to the editor: UAW is a strong ally for international students and postdocs by UAW 5810 Executive Board (Columbia Spectator, 12/5/2016)
- UAW Comment on preserving Optional Practical Training (OPT) STEM Extension: Public comment submitted by UAW President Dennis Williams on behalf of UAW International.
- The Nerve-Wracking Fate of an International Postdoc (UCSF Synapse, 4/21/16)
- In Immigration Reform Debate, Labor Should Focus on Uniting the 99% by former Vice President of UAW Local 2865 Jorge Cabrera and former President of UAW Local 2865 Daraka Larimore-Hall (calitics, 7/29/2013)
- Paying Back Berkeley Postdocs by 5810 Vice President Neal Sweeney (Daily Cal, 5/28/2013)
Gender Equity
One of UAW Local 5810’s (the Union of Postdocs at UC) key issues during their last round of bargaining was to stop gender inequity at UC. The pervasive sexual harassment crisis in the sciences, including at UC, is forcing many talented women out of promising careers, and organized Postdocs and academic employees are dedicated to reversing this unacceptable reality. The Union of Postdocs is focused on changing UC’s policies on sexual harassment and assault, and improving other policies like paid family leave and childcare subsidies. Read more:
- Fallout From Pregnancy Bias Claim by Colleen Flaherty (Inside Higher Ed, 6/11/2019)
- Editorial: Pregnancy discrimination looms large at UCLA, forces women out of academia by Daily Bruin Editorial Board (Daily Bruin, 6/6/2019)
- Read UAW Local 5810’s (the Postdoc Union) public comment the NSF’s proposed changes to their sexual harassment policy (5/4/2018)
- Watch video testimonials on gender equity given by UC Postdocs during the Postdoc Union’s 2016 contract negotiations
- Short-Term Appointments Make UC Postdocs Vulnerable to Sexual Harassment by Anke Schennink (Medium, 8/11/2016)
- UC Postdocs Demand Paid Parental Leave by UAW 5810 executive board Member Lydia Majure (Tenure She Wrote, 7/13/2016)
- UC President Calls for Stronger Steps in Faculty Sexual Harassment Cases (Los Angeles Times, 4/18/2016)
- UC Must Have Zero Tolerance for Sexual Harassment by UAW 5810 President Anke Schennink (Sacramento Bee, 3/30/2016)
- A Push for Stronger Sexual Harassment Policies at the University of California (Science, 3/10/2016)
- Editorial: She Wanted to Do Her Research. He Wanted to Talk ‘Feelings.’ by A. Hope Jahren (NY Times, 3/4/2016)
- UC Must Repair ‘Leaky Pipeline’ in STEM by UAW 5810 executive board member Carly Ebben (Daily Cal, 7/20/2015)
- The Baby Penalty by Mary Ann Mason, Professor and Co-Director on Health, Economics and Family Security at Berkeley Law (Chronicle of Higher Education, 8/5/2013)
Workers’ Rights
UAW Local 5810 (the Union of Postdocs at UC) bargains for new workplace rights and protections on topics including health and safety, layoff and dismissal and non-discrimination. In addition to helping win increased rights for workers, Local 5810 is there to make sure new policies are implemented and enforced. Read more:
- UAW moves beyond auto industry to colleges, expands by nearly 70K members (Detroit Free Press, 2/19/2018)
- Are elite universities ‘safe spaces’? Not if you’re starting a union (The Guardian, 9/9/2017)
- UC’s Opportunity to Shape the Future of Research by UAW 5810 President Anke Schennink (Medium, 5/30/2016)
- California Postdocs Win New Rights (Nature, 12/3/2015)
- Point of View: How Postdocs Benefit from Building a Union by Postdoc Union members Ben Cain, Jessica M. Budke, Kelsey J. Wood, Neal T. Sweeney, Benjamin Swessinger (E-Life, 11/21/2014)
- Postdoctoral Training: Time for Change (Nature Cell Biology, 7/1/2011)
- Taken for Granted: The New California Postdoc Contract (Science Careers, 9/3/2010)
- California Postdocs Win Better Employment Terms (Jump, Times Higher Education, 8/12/2010)
Fair Pay
UC Postdocs have won significant increases in compensation since unionizing, and continue to push for compensation commensurate with achievement. Local 5810 (the Union of Postdocs at UC) played a key role during negotiations in Washington, D.C., and successfully ensured Postdocs as well as Assistant and Associate Specialists were eligible for overtime pay in the Department of Labor’s new rule, despite UC’s efforts to exclude them. Read more:
- San Diego Researchers Could Receive Pay Raise: Interview featuring UCSD Postdoc Union member Adam Wier (KPBS Public Broadcasting, 5/19/2016)
- UC Postdocs Win Effort to Prevent University of California from Exempting Postdocs from New Overtime Rule (UAW 5810 Press Release, 5/18/2016)
- Millions of Americans’ Pay Could Rise Thanks to New Overtime Rule: News feature highlighting UC Postdoc Union Member Melissa Agnello (NBC Nightly News, 5/18/2016)
- Fair Pay for Postdocs: Why We Support New Federal Overtime Rules by NIH Director Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. and US Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez (Huffington Post, 5/17/2016)
- UC Postdocs are Worth $50K (and then Some…) by UAW 5810 Vice President Neal Sweeney (Huffington Post, 5/12/2016)
- UC must follow Department of Labor rule for postdoc staff by UAW 5810 Financial Secretary Carlena Ebben Eaton (Daily Cal, 9/25/2015)
- Postdoc payday: Salaries for Fellows are on the Up (New Scientist, 5/28/2013)
- UC Researchers Struggle to Obtain Better Wages (San Francisco Chronicle, 6/27/2010)