Last updated: August 13, 2026
This recap details the eighth and ninth sessions for the renewal of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the University of Washington and UAW Postdoctoral Scholars.
Tentative Agreements
Article 28: Travel Pay
The parties agreed to updated language that will require reimbursements to be processed within thirty (30) days of submission by the employee of all required and complete documentation.
The parties agreed to maintain current contract language in the following Articles:
- Article 3: Management Rights and Responsibilities
- Article 15: No Strikes, No Lockouts
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Employer Counter Proposals
Article 1: Purpose and Intent
The Employer reasserted its proposal to include new language around information requests but adjusted its proposal to state that requests wouldn’t normally extend more than thirty-six (36) months prior to the date of the request unless a legitimate reason is articulated.
Article 4: Appointments and Reappointments
The Employer counter proposed to maintain current contract language in this Article.
Article 12: Intellectual Property and Academic Rights
The Employer counter proposed to maintain current contract language in this Article.
Article 19: Professional Development and Career Counseling
The Employer counter proposed to maintain current contract language in this Article.
Article 24: Time Off and Leave
The Employer proposed additional language around bereavement time, stating that upon the Employer’s approval, employees may request the use of other forms of available time off if additional time is needed beyond the five (5) allotted days of bereavement time off. The proposal also states that this provision would not apply to any Postdoctoral Scholar appointed on a grant or contract that restricts their time off or leave or requires time off or leave to comply with specific conditions of the grant or contract.
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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:
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MOU: Immigration Status and Visa
The Employer proposed language in this MOU stating that the University would make a good faith effort to respond to employees requiring assistance from International Scholars Operations (ISO) within seven (7) calendar days during the process of attaining or modifying visa status. The Employer also proposed language that allow units to request employees be moved to H-1B status before exhausting their existing employment authorization, and that the cost of the premium processing fee for H-1B authorizations would not be passed on to Postdoctoral Scholars. Additionally, the Employer accepted the Union’s proposal to require reimbursements to Postdoctoral Scholars for the TN I-129 filing fee.
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New Side Letter: Immigration Support Program
As part of this package proposal, the Union would agree to withdraw its proposal to create this new side letter.
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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:
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Article 5: Childcare
As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s initial proposal for this Article as presented during the July 8 bargaining session.
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Article 23: Time and Effort Commitment
The Employer proposed new language in this Article around the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the WA State Minimum Wage Act stating that such statutes govern which positions are exempt or non-exempt from overtime, and that such statement does not preclude the Union or any individual from challenging the University’s overtime determination in appropriate forums.
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Article 32: Compensation
The Employer presented its compensation counterproposal, proposing to increase the minimum salaries/stipends for Postdoctoral Scholars and Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellows by one percent (1%) effective January 1, 2027, an additional half-percent (0.5%) on January 1, 2028, and an additional one percent (1%) increase to salary/stipend minimums effective January 1, 2029. The Employer also proposed to increase individual Postdoctoral Scholar and Postdoctoral Scholar-Fellow salaries/stipends by one percent (1%) effective January 1, 2027, an additional half-percent (0.5%) on January 1, 2028, and an additional one percent (1%) effective January 1, 2029.
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MOU: Overtime strike
As part of this package proposal, the parties would agree to strike and remove this MOU.
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MOU: Postdoctoral Scholar Paid Direct
As part of this package proposal, the Union would accept the Employer’s initial proposal for this Article as presented during the July 29 bargaining session.
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Union Counter Proposals
Article 12: Intellectual Property and Academic Rights
The Union adjusted its proposed language around Postdoctoral Scholars serving as principal investigators, now proposing that minimum years of experience would not be the sole criterion used to exclude Postdoctoral Scholars from serving as principal investigators.
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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:
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Article 20: Retirement Benefits
As part of this package proposal, the parties would agree to maintain current contract language in this Article.
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Article 23: Time and Effort Commitment
As part of this package proposal, the Employer would accept the Union’s initial proposal for this Article as presented during the June 29 bargaining session.
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Article 32: Compensation
The Union presented its compensation counterproposal, 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) | $92,250.00 | $95,017.50 | $97,868.03 | $100,804.07 |
| 2 (24-35 months) | $94,556.25 | $97,392.94 | $100,314.73 | $103,324.17 |
| 3 (36- 47 months) | $96,920.16 | $99,827.76 | $102,822.59 | $105,907.27 |
| 4 (48+ months) | $99,343.16 | $102,323.45 | $105,393.16 | $108,554.95 |
The Union also reduced its bridge fund proposal, now proposing that the University establish a fifty-three-million-dollar ($53,000,000) salary “bridge fund” that would be made available to Postdoctoral Scholars for whom hiring supervisor and hiring unit funding is insufficient to meet wage minimums as defined above.
The Union reasserted its initial proposal elsewhere in this Article.
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MOU: Overtime
As part of this package proposal, the Employer would accept the Union’s initial proposal for this Article as presented during the June 29 bargaining session.
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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:
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Article 1: Preamble and Purpose
As part of this package proposal, the parties would agree to maintain current contract language in this Article.
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Article 4: Appointments and Reappointments
The Union adjusted its proposal around Postdoctoral Scholar appointments by proposing additional language that would require two year initial appointments but would allow the University to retain the ability to release a Postdoctoral Scholar during their initial appointment on their first anniversary date, with the requirement that the University must provide the employee written notice of their release no less than sixty (60) calendar days before their release date, and that notice must also be provided to the Union within one (1) day of the notice being provided to the employee. The Union also dropped its proposal to increase the notice period window prior to the start of a reappointment.
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Article 14: Layoff
The Union dropped its proposal for new language that would have considered not offering employees a reappointment letter a layoff but reasserted its initial proposal elsewhere in this Article.
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Next Steps
The next UAW Research and UW bargaining session is scheduled for Monday, August 17, and will be held in-person at the UDSB Gateway building.