RSVP for our Town Hall next Thursday, May 2nd from 1:30 to 2:30!
We are thrilled to share some exciting news regarding our efforts to form our union, Einstein Researchers United-UAW. After notifying Einstein two weeks ago that over 80% of postdocs had signed up in support of forming our union, we have successfully reached an agreement with the administration on the terms for our union election. We are now poised to take a significant step forward: voting “YES” for our union!
Our union election will be held on May 15th and May 16th in Robbins Auditorium on the stage (accessible through second floor of Chanin), at the following times:
- Wednesday, May 15th: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Thursday, May 16th: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM and 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
All postdocs will be allowed to vote in our election! Initially, Einstein challenged the eligibility of 33 Postdoctoral Fellows in our union. We pushed back and they agreed they had incorrectly challenged the eligibility of 18 of those postdocs. The 15 remaining postdocs include those with the title “Postdoctoral Fellow-NRSA”, who are funded by National Research Service Award grants, and others who Einstein claims are supervisors or on unpaid leave. Everyone from these groups will have the right to vote, but Einstein reserves the right to challenge their eligibility following the election. If you have questions about this, please don’t hesitate to reply to this email.
As postdoctoral fellows, we now have a historic opportunity. When a majority votes “YES” for our union, Einstein will for the first time ever have a legal obligation to negotiate with postdocs as equals over our pay, benefits, and workplace rights. The more of us who participate in this important decision and vote “YES”, the more effectively our elected Bargaining Committee will be able to negotiate for improvements with the Einstein administration.
Upcoming Town Hall
In preparation for the elections, we are hosting an informational town hall session. Make sure to RSVP here:
– Thursday, May 2nd, 1:30-2:30pm, Price Room 251.
We encourage all postdocs to attend to get an update and answers to any questions you may have regarding our election, hear from unionized postdocs at other institutions, and engage in meaningful discussions with fellow Einstein postdocs. To get more involved in efforts to form our union, click here.
Best,
Michael Papanicolaou
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Cell Biology
Member of ERU-UAW Organizing Committee