Last week, we launched our Initial Bargaining Demands (IBDs) for our next contract. One of our key demands is to protect and support the 40% of UW Postdocs who are international.
Navigating the visa and immigration system is already a major burden. Now more than ever, we must stand in solidarity with international workers who are faced with continual threats to their safety. See what two Postdocs, Gourav and Lew, have to say.
“I’m Gourav Khullar. The only way I feel I can survive and thrive in this expensive city, especially as a person of color, is by having a strong Postdoc union contract. All Postdocs deserve to do their work with dignity and they have the right to feel protected and safe from the incessant assault from organizations like ICE. Solidarity means lifting everybody simultaneously, especially the most marginalized ones — immigrant fellow colleagues.”
“My name is Lew Kaplan. I came to the US for my Postdoc to learn from the best. Moving halfway across the globe is a costly and difficult endeavor in and of itself. Working as an international Postdoc is made more precarious due to a high cost of living as well as short work contracts and visas. This is why we deserve a strong contract that provides us with the security, peace of mind, and fair wages that other skilled workers already receive.”
We demand a contract that:
- Increases financial support and paid leave for obtaining and maintaining visas.
- Guarantees financial and legal support for Postdocs facing immigration-related crises and work authorization changes.
- Ensures workspaces and data privacy from external organizations.
When ICE attacks immigrant communities and communities of color, we must stand in solidarity with our siblings who are uncertain whether they will be protected and supported while they do the work that makes UW recognized globally as a top-tier research institution. As soon as Postdocs ratify our IBDs, we can join Research Staff at the bargaining table and use our collective power to fight for protections for our international colleagues.
Take 30 seconds to ratify your IBDs today!
In solidarity,
The Postdoc Bargaining Team
Jacob Sacks, Computer Science and Engineering
Cassandra Henderson, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Winston Dredge, Genome Sciences
Mateo Lopez Espejo, Psychology
Haruki Hirasawa, Atmospheric and Climate Science