Dear President Eisgruber and Provost Rexford,
Nearly two years ago, a majority of Postdocs & Scholars voted to form our union in May 2024. A majority of us signed onto our Initial Bargaining Goals demanding a fair contract that improves wages, benefits, and basic workplace protections. Yet, nearly a year and a half since we started bargaining, the Princeton administration has not agreed to a new contract, despite well-researched proposals that address key issues among postdocs.
The University’s willingness to waste resources and time delaying progress toward a fair contract is unacceptable. Postdocs & Scholars cannot afford to wait for the raises, rights, and protections we need to live and work at Princeton.
We, the undersigned Postdocs & Scholars, call on the Princeton University administration to come to an agreement on a fair contract without further delay that addresses the following priorities:
- Increased Compensation: Pay that reflects our highly specialized work, keeps up with inflation and the high cost of living in Princeton, and keeps up with unionized Postdocs at peer institutions.
- Housing Support: Improved access to University housing and financial support for those of us living off-campus to provide relief from the uniquely high costs of housing in the Princeton area.
- Job Security: Longer initial appointments, a transparent and fair renewal process, and strong layoff rights ensuring layoff only in cases of funding loss.
- Enforceable Protections from Harassment & Discrimination: Rights protecting Postdocs & Scholars that can be enforced through an arbitrable, neutral process.