We, the Senior Researchers at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, present the following contract demands to (1) improve our working conditions, (2) better support Mount Sinai’s mission to conduct world-class research, foster diversity, attract and retain talents, (3) safeguard the institution’s research mission against the current administration’s attacks on higher education, and (4) address the unique challenges faced by researchers living and working in New York City. These demands are based on bargaining surveys completed by a majority of Senior Researchers.
These demands reflect the specific needs of Senior Researchers and a vision for our research community. They take into account the historic shifts towards a longer early-career stage, the specific challenges of living in New York City, and the need for an academic pipeline supporting greater diversity among rising research faculty. We aim to ensure fair pay and benefits for all Senior Researchers; to support all Senior Researchers’ career development; to provide greater stability for non-citizen researchers; to provide paid leaves of absence for Senior Researchers who become parents; to ensure that Senior Researchers with families can afford childcare and associated costs; and to build a truly inclusive, accessible, and diverse research community free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
We believe that the achievement of these goals will facilitate the recruitment and retention of the most talented, diverse group of Senior Researchers and, therefore, enhance our ability to produce the world-class research conducted at Mount Sinai.
1. Establish fair wages
We strive for improved pay for all, commensurate with the value we collectively bring to Sinai with our work and the high cost of living, including establishing fair and enforceable minimum salaries and guaranteed experience-based and annual salary increases.
2. Increase access to housing
We strive for more affordable access to housing and improved housing-related resources for all Senior Researchers.
3. Create a more family-friendly workplace
We strive for strengthened benefits and support that make Sinai a more equitable and inclusive workplace for senior researchers with families, including fully paid parental leave, priority access to and significant financial support for childcare on and off campus, and affordable insurance coverage for dependents.
4. Improve healthcare for all
We strive for improvements to the quality and affordability of medical, mental health, dental, and vision coverage, including dependent coverage, as well as access to healthcare providers affiliated with Mount Sinai.
5. Ensure freedom from harassment and bullying
We strive for a fair, timely, and enforceable process for addressing sexual, gender-based, and other forms of workplace harassment and bullying.
6. Foster a safe and productive work environment
We strive to establish a fair process to resolve health and safety problems and improve access to wellness resources and recreational facilities.
7. Ease the burden for new hires
We strive for a transparent hiring procedure, including offer letters that detail funding sources and length of available funding, responsibilities, salary, benefits, access to the resources necessary to perform the work, explanation of current and future visa options, relocation cost coverage, and access to the ROCS-UAW contract agreement.
8. Enhance retention and advancement opportunities
We strive for transparency and consistency for all renewal, advancement, and dismissal proceedings, timely reimbursements, clear expectations associated with promotions, raises, and dismissals, improved minimum notice for non-renewals, and improved minimum appointment lengths.
9. Broaden access to and improve retirement and other benefits
We strive for the right to better plan for our futures through improved access to retirement and other benefits, including life insurance, disability insurance, tax withholding for all researchers, and access to free financial and tax advice.
10. Increase support for international researchers
We strive for improved visa options, appointment lengths, support and reimbursement of costs associated with visa and green card processing, and stronger protections for researchers holding visas.
11. Improve rights to paid vacation and leave
We strive for enhanced and guaranteed access to paid time-off, including holiday and vacation, as well as medical, family, visa-related, and other leaves of absence.
12. Expand access to educational resources and professional development
We strive for access to funds supporting individual professional development opportunities, including courses offered at Mount Sinai, tuition assistance, expedited reimbursement for work-related expenses, and protected time for grant writing and other activities.
13. Improve transit and parking benefits
We strive for improved and equitable transit and parking benefits to relieve the burden of commuting costs and support Senior Researchers with bicycles, cars, and other forms of transportation.
14. Recognize and promote union rights and representation
We strive to maximize the ability of our union to engage in effective representation, including a variety of standard provisions on union representational rights and contract enforceability, as well as ensuring that all new employees receive adequate orientation about rights and benefits under our contract.
15. Protect academic freedom and intellectual property
We strive to improve intellectual property and academic freedom rights, including clear guidelines on authorship criteria and protection against listing without consent.