Postdoctoral Research Fellows (Postdocs) are forming a union in order to improve conditions for Postdoc research and work at the University of Michigan (UMich). The work of UMich Postdocs not only drives the research mission at UMich, but also produces diverse scientific knowledge that can benefit the whole world. While UMich Postdocs work across many disciplines and subdisciplines, our dedication to research unites us all.

By forming a union, UMich Postdocs can build a stronger, democratic voice at UMich with more power to negotiate for securing and improving Postdoc rights and working conditions into a legally-binding contract.

Forming a Postdoc union also means joining tens of thousands of other researchers at universities across the country who are already unionized or are currently unionizing, including Postdocs at:

• Albert Einstein College of Medicine,

• California Institute of Technology (Caltech),

• Columbia University,

• Harvard University,

• Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai,

• Johns Hopkins University,

• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,

• the National Institutes of Health,

• New York University,

• Princeton University,

• Rutgers University,

• Stanford University,

• University of California (Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz),

• University of Connecticut,

• University of Massachusetts,

• University of Oregon,

• University of Pennsylvania,

• University of Southern California,

• University of Washington,

• and many other universities!

By working together with these and other academic unions across the country, UMich Postdocs can build political power beyond UMich to impact funding, visa, and other policies at the national, state, and local levels that shape the Postdoc experience in academia as scientists and scholars.

Forming a union with collective bargaining rights gives UMich Postdocs the power to negotiate on equal footing with the UMich administration to secure the terms and conditions of Postdoc employment in a legally-binding contract.

Forming a union and joining with thousands of other unionized UMich workers will give UMich Postdocs leverage to improve the working conditions throughout UMich units and job denominations, including raising the standards of salaries, benefits, job security, workplace safety, and more. A united worker front will put UMich Postdocs in a stronger bargaining position and foster a more democratic decision making process around UMich policies. 

Moreover, by joining with unionized academic workers nationwide, UMich Postdocs will have a stronger voice on key policy decisions which affect Postdocs and other researchers, such as federal funding for science and federal rules affecting visas and immigration. Unionizing will lead to changes that will create more positive work environments for future Postdocs and improve career pathways for future scientists in the US and beyond.

Collective bargaining is a process, protected by US law, that equalizes the power relationship between employees and their employer.

Under collective bargaining, UMich Postdocs would elect representatives to negotiate on equal footing with the UMich administration and put the terms of Postdoc employment into a legally-binding contract. Through collective bargaining, Postdocs and other academic workers across the country have successfully negotiated improved wages and benefits; stronger protections against discrimination and harassment; expanded family-friendly benefits like paid leave and childcare subsidies; and other important provisions.

Both a strong union like UM-PRO and a Postdoc association like UMPDA can play a critical role in improving the lives of UMich postdocs. UMPDA is a UMich-sponsored organization and provides important opportunities for Postdocs to participate in numerous social and career development opportunities. However, UMPDA is not a viable alternative to a union. While UMPDA can make recommendations to the institution on behalf of postdocs, it cannot legally engage in collective bargaining. Unions like UM-PRO and associations like UMPDA often work together at academic institutions. In fact, many UMPDA members actively support UM-PRO. 

UMich Postdocs will build a strong union and win enforceable workplace protections through majority participation and one-to-one organizing. Postdocs in every department, building, and lab will talk to their coworkers and friends about forming a union and winning a strong contract.

Yes! By organizing in their labs and departments, Postdocs can preserve the positive aspects of their workplace and also have a collective voice to push back on negative policy and contract changes proposed by the UMich administration. Even Postdocs with supportive and well-intentioned supervisors can be negatively affected by UMich administration in ways that neither a supervisor nor department administration can anticipate or solve. Postdocs can also get unlucky and find themselves victims of a toxic work climate or unfair workplace dynamics. With a union, Postdocs can stand by each other and will have the collective power of their coworkers behind them to enforce their contract and to ensure their workplace rights are respected. In sum, having a union-negotiated contract can protect Postdocs and their colleagues from negative policies and toxic environments.

Yes! UM-PRO is part of a broader movement of research workers to make all research workplaces better. All current Postdocs should sign a union card to be counted in the majority. If you are no longer a UMich Postdoc, you can still support the effort by asking your former colleagues to sign a union authorization card.

Under federal law, it is illegal to retaliate against an employee for organizing a labor union at their workplace. Thus far, UM-PRO organizers are not aware of any cases of higher educational institutions taking action against Postdocs for signing a union authorization card or voting in favor of forming a union. 

Science is already affected by politics. Federal science funding, healthcare access, immigrant rights, and other issues regularly affect Postdocs’ ability to do their research. By forming a union, Postdocs can use their collective power to influence political issues that affect them.

“I consider it important, indeed urgently necessary, for intellectual workers to get together, both to protect their own economic status and, also, generally speaking, to secure their influence in the political field.”

– Albert Einstein, on why he joined the faculty union at Princeton as a charter member