? Bargaining Bulletin 8: Too Little, Too Late
Unit 5 Bargaining Bulletin
January 19, 2024
Bulletin #8
CAMPAIGN UPDATES
On Jan. 12, the Bargaining Committee (BC) met with the employer and received its first substantial counter-proposals.
The BC is currently reviewing these counters in order to evaluate how to best proceed to get the gains that postdocs need and deserve. Here are some of the most significant takeaways.
- X No living wage for all. The proposal sets the new salary floor for postdocs at $45,000. This is not only low in light of the many years of education and training undergone by top-tier U of T postdocs: it’s below the basic income required to make a living in Toronto, recently ranked the most expensive city in Canada, especially given high inflation.
- X No improvements to uncompetitive health benefits package until December 2025. Postdocs have the worst value for benefits: they pay the highest share of their insurance premiums, yet receive the worst overall coverage. The employer has recommended a plan that maintains this status quo for nearly another two years (with no information about increased premiums).
- X No retroactive pay for recent Unit 5 employees. Employees who worked in 2023/2024 but whose postdoc position(s) ended or will end before this bargaining period is complete are not eligible for retroactive back-pay, despite facing some of the worst cost-of-living increases.
Additional table dates TBD.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Postdocs are key to research and teaching. Without them, higher education flounders. Despite this, working conditions for postdocs leave a lot to be desired. Many of us work for less than a living wage, receive inadequate benefits for ourselves and our families, and face burnout due to under-recognized labour.
Postdocs are passionate—but passion alone can’t make a career viable. Current and future postdocs need more support to ensure that they can provide the world-class research and teaching that our university is known for.
TAKE ACTION
The time has never been better to get involved in your union. With negotiations underway, coordination and solidarity between yourself and your colleagues is the only way to win a fair contract!
- Sign our bargaining pledge. Tell the employer: I support my union in securing better working conditions for myself and my colleagues.
- Join the Contract Action Team. CAT members are critical for keeping workers informed and involved in the bargaining process. Meet like-minded peers who are passionate about improving the postdoc experience!
- Become a Unit 5 Steward (self-nominations due January 26th). Stewards are critical in bridging elected union officials and the members that they represent. No previous experience is necessary, and the position comes with an annual honorarium and mobilization funds to support programming.
Click here to visit our LinkTree, where you can take action on 1, 2, or 3!
MEET YOUR CONTRACT ACTION TEAM
“If postdocs cannot earn a fair wage, it undermines the value of advanced education and specialized skills. Postdocs contribute high-level expertise, and fair compensation is essential to reflect their dedication and contributions to academia.” ~ Huiling Yeo, Unit 5 Bargaining Support Committee
Unit 5 Bargaining team:
Federica Berdini
Sami Mamand
Eriks Bredovskis
Sarah Warren
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