Last month, graduate workers at Penn ratified a contract that guarantees a 21% increase to their minimum salary, among many other wins. Now, after years of rising inflation and stagnating salaries, Postdocs and Research Associates will make our contract demands for the pay we deserve. During bargaining this Thursday, March 12th, Postdocs and Research Associates will introduce proposals on Compensation, which includes sections on increases to minimum salaries and annual raises.
If you are free on Thursday, March 12 at 1pm, make plans with a labmate, colleague, or friend to attend this bargaining session to show Penn that our salary demands can’t be ignored! For directions to the bargaining session and to RSVP, please click this link or the button below. Free RAPUP t-shirts will be available for all who attend!
Penn has still not responded to our initial proposals on Appointments and Reappointments or International Researcher Rights. The only way to secure these urgently needed proposals in a contract is if a large majority of Postdocs and Research Associates demonstrate that we are willing to fight for them. That’s why Postdocs and Research Associates across Penn are signing on to a letter demanding the university come to a fair agreement without delay on these high priority issues. Almost 350 have signed on to the letter so far – read it and add your name here!
Upcoming Events
- Bargaining Sessions: Our next bargaining session is on Thurdsay March 12 from 1-5pm. RSVP here. You can attend for any portion of the day. Check the #organizing channel on Slack for live updates of bargaining (and reply to this email if you want to be added to Slack).
- Film screening: Friday, March 13, 5-7 PM in the Chemistry Lynch Lecture Hall, join Postdocs and Research Associates affiliated with RAPUP to watch The Hand That Feeds, a documentary about the struggle of undocumented immigrant workers in New York City fighting to achieve fair wages and better working conditions. Please join us to watch and learn more about the history of the labor movement!
In Solidarity,
Lucy March, Postdoctoral Fellow, Annenberg School for Communication
On behalf of the RAPUP-UAW Organizing Committee