PUPS-UAW has been bargaining with the Princeton administration since October 2024, seeking to come to an agreement over a contract that improves our pay, benefits, and workplace rights. During that time, Princeton has needlessly delayed the bargaining process and failed to bargain in good faith, the unlawful healthcare rate increases for Postdocs and Scholars being the most recent example of this. While we have come to agreements on many aspects of the contract, several important issues, including pay, benefits, and protections from discrimination and harassment, remain outstanding. Postdocs and ARSs are voting to authorize a strike in order to give our elected Bargaining Committee the ability to call a strike in the event that Princeton admin continues to fail to come to a fair agreement. During the past several years, unionized postdocs at peer institutions such as Columbia, Weill-Cornell Medicine, and Mt. Sinai have all won transformative contracts after taking successful strike authorization votes.

The Strike Authorization Vote (SAV) will take place from 9:00am on Tuesday, November 17 to 7:00pm on Thursday, November 19. The SAV will take place electronically, with all Postdocs and ARSs in the unit receiving electronic ballots in their Princeton email and/or by text. 

A Strike Authorization Vote provides the elected PUPS-UAW Bargaining Committee with the ability to call a strike if in the future it is necessary to secure a fair contract. This gives Postdocs and ARSs leverage to make progress at the bargaining table. The point of a SAV is to demonstrate to the Princeton administration that a majority of Postdocs and Associate Research Scholars are serious about winning a fair contract.

The Strike Authorization Vote will pass if more than two-thirds of voting Postdocs and ARSs vote in favor of authorizing a strike. This will authorize the elected PUPS-UAW Bargaining Committee to call a strike in the future if it is necessary to win a fair contract.

A strong majority “Yes” vote amongst postdocs and scholars signals to the Princeton administration that Postdocs and ARSs are prepared to take action if it becomes necessary to reach a fair contract. In several other postdoc campaigns, widespread participation and a strong majority of yes votes signaled a clear enough threat to move negotiations along and avoid a strike altogether. Postdocs & Scholars are committed to our work, and it is a shame that the Princeton administration has put us in a position to have to be prepared for this option. The most powerful tool that we have at the table during negotiations is to be strike-ready. Voting yes signals that you are willing to strike if necessary, and oftentimes this threat itself is enough to win a strong contract.

A strike will only take place as a last resort, and only in the event that Princeton Postdocs and Scholars vote to authorize a strike and the elected PUPS-UAW Bargaining Committee decides that circumstances necessitate calling a strike. Our elected Bargaining Committee may choose to set a deadline at which we would begin striking if Princeton has still not reached a fair agreement. Striking is the strongest tool we have to secure a fair contract. We hope that Princeton will stop stalling our negotiations and make greater progress toward a fair agreement.

A strike is a complete work stoppage. During a strike, Postdocs and Scholars will not perform our work duties related to research and instruction and will instead participate in picket lines around campus to increase the visibility of the strike. It would last until Princeton agrees to a fair contract, or until Postdocs and Scholars collectively decide to cease striking.

It is against the law for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to ask questions about international employees’ union membership or their legal union activities, or to take them into account when reviewing those employees’ visa applications. Princeton University cannot retaliate against you for exercising your right to participate in lawful collective action, including striking, in any aspect of your relationship with the University. Striking is not considered restricted political activity.

Collective bargaining gives all Postdocs and Scholars, including international and undocumented workers, a means to improve pay and benefits, address visa delays by the university, and win job security and recourse when your employer violates your rights. In addition to all of the other benefits of the contract, international Postdocs and Scholars at Princeton are fighting for visa fee reimbursement, international scholar leave, and other support for maintaining immigration status.