Your bargaining team gave our legally obligated 10 days notice for a strike on August 15th, 2024. Our team Making every effort to reach a fair agreement with OHSU and avert a strike. However, we need you to be prepared to “put the pipette down” and show up to the strike line.

WHAT ARE OUR ISSUES?

• Pay — We are asking for an increase to the minimum postdoc pay, and contract guaranteed annual cost of living adjustments.
• W2s for all — OHSU is enforcing a dual-class postdocs system: those on 1099s and those on W2s; those that are international and those that are not. This means reduced benefits for people with merit based awards like the NRSA.
• International support — resources and protections for international visa holders.
• Time off and Benefits— equivalent sick/vacation leave and benefits as other employees.
• Retention — Making pay steps equal for all years to retain 1st and 2nd year postdocs, and a set of DEI initiatives/mentorship for postdocs from underrepresented backgrounds.

TALKING TO YOUR PI ABOUT A POSTDOC STRIKE

OHSU faculty have power to help us avert a strike, and we want to maintain their support if we do have to go on strike. The faculty have more in common with us than the OHSU leaders making these poor decisions at the bargaining table. However, OHSU is enlisting them to track our participation in the strike. How you interact with your PI is an individual choice that requires careful consideration.

What do I do if my PI or department admin asks about my participation in the strike or union?

• You are not obligated to answer these kinds of questions. You can simply decline to answer. It is up to OHSU to track who is on strike.
• Do not lie about any missed work.

If you are comfortable speaking with your PI in an open conversation:

1. Frame the ethical choice:
1. Institutions nationally are benefiting from our research but are choosing not to pay for it. Don’t you want to support us as we fight for better support for science at OHSU?
2. Begin with a question: have you heard much about the postdoc union?
1. A few key facts:
1. OHSU postdocs have been negotiating their first contract for >10 months.
2. OHSU wants to stay strictly to the NIH minimum wage scale for postdocs with no guaranteed cost of living adjustments in our contract. Postdocs democratically voiced that this is unacceptable.
3. 1099s make NRSAs unfair, especially for parents needing Paid Leave Oregon (i.e. parents).
4. Postdocs have had an effective pay cut over the past 4 years. Inflation was on average 4.5%, yet postdocs had just a 4% increase (most of which occurred in a lump increase starting 2024). Other researchers at OHSU had average annual salary growth of 6% from 2020-2024.
3. Introduce what we are fighting for:
1. Increased pay and guaranteed cost of living adjustments → Point out that our last proposal is based on the NIH recommendations & market comparators
2. Same time off as other OHSU employees (currently receive 40-60% less)
3. OHSU is not being forthright about their financial crisis, and our last offer accounts for fractions of a percent of their budget. They can afford to pay.
4. WE DESERVE BETTER TREATMENT.
5. INTERNATIONAL POSTDOCS DESERVE BETTER TREATMENT
6. YOU (the PI) NEED US.
4. Demonstrate that this contract would help BOTH postdocs and PIs.
1. These working conditions are what are in effect in Washington, California, and at many of OHSU’s competitors.
5. Call to Action to PI. What they can do to support us and avert a strike.
1. Talk to your department chair and/or Peter Barr-Gillespie
2. Look for community support petition, sign and share
3. Reporting postdocs serves OHSU executives, not research.
6. Possible questions and responses
1. What about money, who pays?
1. We are asking for fair pay gap coverage by OHSU for 1st year
2. Who is in support of this?
1. Postdocs — Authorization vote passed with 88% yes with nearly 3/4 of postdocs voted
2. ALL OHSU UNIONS
3. Over 30 elected politicians
4. Trade unions of the NWLOC working on OHSU building projects
5. Unions under the AFL-CIO, one of the largest coalitions of unions in the United States.

If you are not comfortable speaking with your PI about this:

1. You are not obligated to talk to your PI or disclose your participation in the strike.
2. Faculty are asked to track our participation in order to reduce pay. However, some people still want to provide courtesy. We suggest carefully considering any messages that indicate your participation in this action. You may consider the following message:

“Hi Dr.< insert PI last name>,
Our bargaining team has called for a strike on August 15th because OHSU is refusing to negotiate a contract that is acceptable to my peers. This is not a decision that was made lightly and was democratically decided on by the postdoc body. The prevailing sentiment is that OHSU leaders do not have respect for postdocs or research as a whole. It is our perspective that OHSU is putting us in this position and it is their responsibility to reach a fair agreement with our union. I ask that we make appropriate arrangements to cover my essential tasks. I understand that OHSU is asking faculty to track our participation in the strike, and hope that you make your best moral choice. Please note that I am not obligated to answer if directly asked about my individual participation in the strike. Furthermore, I hope that you can reach out to your departmental leaders to demand that OHSU reach an agreement that will avert a strike.

Sincerely,
<your name>”

How can I visibly show my support for the strike?

Use this image in any presentation materials, display at your worksite before heading to the strike line, and tag @postdocunited on twitter/instagram.

Do not post or use this image publicly until August 15th!

How do I access the strike fund?

Our strike funds will be dispersed on a hardship basis, determined by the postdoc volunteers on the hardship fund committee. We will distribute a form for hardship applications soon.

To qualify you must:

1. Become a member >>Sign up here<<
2. Work at least 20 hours on the strikeline or strike support >>Sign up for a shift<<
3. Experience loss in pay due to the strike

Priority will be given to postdocs with dependents, disability, and medical expenses. Notice and check disbursements will be given within one week after the hardship form is submitted.

Strike fund Q&A

What strike funds are available?
Our union has raised tens of thousands, however we need to use a portion for strike logistics. We are actively fundraising to ensure we have an impactful strike.

How long will the strike fund last?
One day longer than OHSU’s leaders are expecting.

What happens if the strike fund runs out of money?
As union members, we stand together and fully believe that an injury to one is an injury to all. We are continuing to raise money and requesting donations from supporting unions.

When do I get my strike hardship pay?
The postdoc application will be contacted with the approval decision within one week following the application submission and a check will be mailed.

Who decides how much I am paid?
This decision will be made by the volunteers of your hardship fund committee determined by the need.

Will I still have health insurance while on strike?
August benefits will continue. OHSU may decide to stop your medical benefits in September if our strike continues. Postdocs on strike are eligible for COBRA.