Academic Researchers United

The majority of UC system academic researchers ratified the first Academic Researcher Union contract with the university.

The UC system announced Monday that it reached a tentative agreement with academic researchers in the United Auto Workers union.

As part of an ongoing bargaining process with the UC system, one group from the Academic Researchers United/United Automobile Workers Local 5810 union rallied outside UCSF’s Genentech Hall while another group met with UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla to discuss the objectives and challenges of academic researchers, or ARs. 

About 100 people from Academic Researchers United/the United Automobile Workers Local 5810, the union for Postdoctoral Research Fellows, gathered outside California Hall at about noon on Wednesday while in negotiations with the University for the first time. 

On Friday, the UC Office of the President, or UCOP, withdrew its initial objections to UC academic researchers joining the UC postdoctoral researchers union to create Academic Researchers United/UAW Local 5810, or ARU/UAW Local 5810.

Pending official certification by PERB, this will allow academic researchers to begin collective bargaining with UC administration, during which they will reportedly seek improved working conditions, including further career development, increased job security and greater compensation.

More than 3,000 UC academic researchers signed authorization cards in support of forming the union, which were submitted to the Public Employment Relations Board, or PERB, on Friday for certification.