This recap details the fourth session for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and UAW Postdoctoral Scholars.

Union Initial Proposals

The Union presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:

• Article 20: Retirement Benefits

The Union proposed to maintain current contract language in this Article as part of this package proposal.

• Article 23: Time and Effort Commitment

The Union proposed to remove language around Postdoctoral Scholar Fellows that require their appointments to emphasis meeting responsibilities assigned for the fellowship, making progress on professional goals, and demonstrating research capabilities.

• Article 32: Wages

The Union presented its initial compensation proposal, which would increase the base minimum for all bargaining unit members to:

Postdoctoral experience level	Minimum effective (Ratification Date)	Minimum effective January 1, 2027	Minimum effective January 1, 2028	Minimum effective January 1, 2029
0 (0-11 months)	$90,000.00	$92,700.00	$95,481.00	$98,345.43
1 (12-23 months)	$92,700.00	$95,481.00	$98,345.43	$101,295.79
2 (24-35 months)	$95,481.00	$98,345.43	$101,295.79	$104,334.67
3 (36- 47 months)	$98,345.43	$101,295.79	$104,334.67	$107,464.71
4 (48+ months)	$101,295.79	$104,334.67	$107,464.71	$110,688.65

The Union also proposed  bargaining unit members who exceed their experience-based minimum  receive an increase of no less than three percent (3%) every year by the anniversary of their appointment. The Union also proposed new language that would require the University to establish a fifty-five million dollar ($55,000,000) “bridge fund” effective October 1, 2026 with the purpose of meeting the new salary minimums proposed by the Union, with four million dollars ($4,000,000) made available by October 2026, fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) available by January 1, 2027, seventeen million dollars ($17,000,000) available by January 1, 2028, and the remaining nineteen million dollars ($19,000,000) available by January 1, 2029. The Union also proposed that any bargaining unit employee who receives a fellowship or other external funding would remain eligible for benefits and other entitlements that would otherwise be afforded to the Postdoctoral Scholar if they had not received such funding.

• MOU: Overtime

The Union proposed to remove the requirement that overtime be approved in advance by an employee’s supervisor.

• Article 4: Appointments and Reappointments

The Union proposed to increase the length of initial appointments for Postdoctoral Scholars and Postdoctoral Scholar Fellows from one (1) year to two (2) years. Additionally, the Union proposed to increase the required notice window for Postdoctoral Scholar reappointments from thirty (30) days to sixty (60) days.

• Article 12: Intellectual Property and Academic Rights

The Union proposed new language that would not allow for time spent as a Postdoctoral Scholar be used to exclude them from serving as a principal investigator.

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Article 5: Childcare

The Union proposed to increase the Postdoctoral Scholar childcare fund from $75,000 to $200,000.

Article 14: Layoff

The Union proposed to reduce the required notice period for providing a copy of the layoff notice to the Union from five (5) days to within one (1) day of providing layoff notice to a Postdoctoral Scholar. The Union also proposed new language that would require all instances of lack of funding being the sole reason for not offering an employee a reappointment letter to be considered a layoff and subject to requirements of this Article, including union notice. Additionally, the Union proposed to remove language stating that this Article doesn’t apply to emergency layoffs due to acts of nature, financial emergencies, or suspension of operations.

Article 24: Time Off and Leave

The Union proposed to expand usage ability for bereavement leave, including the ability to be granted bereavement time off leave beyond the currently allowed five (5) days based on individual circumstances.  The Union also proposed new language that would grant Postdoctoral Scholars the ability to accrue and roll over up to five (5) days of unused paid vacation time for each year of service. Additionally, the Union proposed to make unused vacation time off eligible for shared leave donation. With respect to Postdoctoral Scholars who are ineligible for Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave, the Union proposed new language that would require the University to provide them with paid time off such that the total time off is equivalent to what would be provided by the WA PFML program. With respect to parental leave, the Union proposed to allow employees to take at least eight (8) hours of paid time off per month in order to preserve their benefits if they are taking an extended unpaid parental leave and don’t qualify for FMLA.

Article 28: Travel Pay

The Union proposed new language that would require reimbursements be processed within thirty (30) days of submission by an employee.

MOU: Immigration Status and Visas

The Union proposed to move the provisions of this MOU into a new Article. The Union also proposed new language around immigration and visa sponsorship, including language that would allow employees to be eligible to apply for university sponsorship of an employment-based permanent residency application, expansion of University-covered visa filing fees to cover additional visa types, and allowing Postdoctoral Scholars to be entitled to additional reimbursement up to $2000/year for costs related to filing for and maintaining visa status. With respect to data privacy, the Union proposed language that would require the University not release employee immigration status or related information without employee consent, unless required by law, and that the University would be required to notify the Union of all such requests. The Union also proposed language that would require the University to not facilitate or invite interrogations or searches of persons or property while on University premises and that the University would be required to notify the Union if the University is aware of federal immigration presence on University premises. In cases where an employee or an employee’s family member is detained or unable to return to the United States for reasons related to immigration status and cannot work, the Union proposed to require the University to provide legal assistance and provide paid time off for up to twenty (20) business days per calendar year. In cases where an employee is unable to return to the U.S. but is able to complete all or some job duties, the Union proposed to require the University to make efforts to allow the employee to remain employed in a telework capacity. Finally, the Union proposed new language that would require Postdoctoral Scholars be granted up to five (5) days of paid immigration-related time off annually to attend immigration-related appointments, and that the University would be required to grant unpaid leave for up to ninety (90) days if a Postdoctoral Scholar requests such leave while awaiting visa renewal outside the U.S.

New Side Letter X: Immigration Support Program

The Union proposed to create a new side letter that would require the University to establish a one-time fund of $250,000 dedicated to providing legal services for international or non-citizen employees under this Agreement who experience immigration concerns that impact their employee or student status and related employment and presence in the United States. Under this proposal, eligible employees would be able to receive up to two (2) legal sessions per calendar year and legal services would be provided until the fund is exhausted or the end of the CBA’s duration, whichever comes first. The fund would sunset at the end of the CBA duration if allocated funds have not been fully depleted, according to the proposal.

On the following provisions, the Union proposed to maintain current contract language:

• Preamble
• Article 1: Purpose and Intent
• Article 2: Recognition
• Article 10: Holidays
• Article 11: Individual Development Plans and Progress Assessments
• Article 13: Joint Union-Management Committee
• Article 21: Subcontracting
• Article 22: Subordination of Agreement and Savings Clause
• Article 25: Titles and Classifications
• Article 26: Training
• Article 27: Transportation
• Article 29: Union Rights
• Article 31: Voluntary Community Action Program (V-CAP)
• Article 33: Workspace and Materials
• Article 35: Military Leave

Employer Initial Proposals

Article 27: Transportation

The Employer proposed to update language around notice for changes to parking access, stating that the Union would have the option to bargain the impacts of any changes to parking access policy that affect bargaining unit employees, excluding parking rate increases, parking payment automation, changes in the number of parking spaces, and changes to student parking.

The Employer proposed housekeeping edits only on the following provisions:

• Article 5: Childcare
• Article 35: Military Leave

The Employer proposed to strike the following side letter:

• Side Letter A: Workday Roster Reports

Employer Counter Proposals

The Employer presented a package proposal in which all provisions would need to be accepted in their entirety. The full contents of the package are outlined below:

• Article 8: Health and Safety

The Employer counter proposed to include language stating that Postdoctoral Scholars can report unsafe workplace conditions anonymously via the UW Environmental Health & Safety website. The Employer proposed to add new sections around field safety, air quality concerns, and WA EAP. The Employer reasserted its prior counter proposal for the remainder of this Article.

• Article 16: Non-Discrimination and Harassment

The Employer counter proposed to include language that falls outside of UW Executive Order 81 in the workplace behavior section which maintains those protections in the proper place. The language states  that no employee would be subjected to adverse or inequitable treatment based on ethnic origin, political affiliation, medical condition, or membership or non-membership in a Union. The Employer reasserted its prior counterproposal for the remainder of this Article, which directs employees to UW Executive Order 81: Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct, including language that references the UW Civil Right Compliance Office as the main body that investigates claims of discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct.

• MOU: Empowering Prevention and Inclusive Communities (EPIC) Training

As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s prior counter proposal as presented during the June 8 bargaining session.

• Article 36: Reasonable Accommodations

As part of this package proposal, the Union would agree to the Employer’s prior counter proposal as presented during the June 12 bargaining session.

• MOU: Transition Support

As part of this package proposal, the Union would agree to withdraw their proposal to create this new MOU.

Next Steps

The next UAW Postdocs and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Wednesday, July 8 and will be held in-person at the UDSB Gateway building.