Postdoc Collective Bargaining

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• We initially asked to discuss options for this
• We have now proposed that postdocs be given the same enhanced Mental Health coverage that other employees have (80% to a combined maximum of $1500 for  psychologists, social workers, clinical counsellors, psychoeducators, and psychotherapists)
• Increase the Health Spending Account from $400 to $750

Rationale: postdocs currently have worse healthcare benefits than other employee groups and we would like to bring these in line with other groups at Dal. This was a priority area for postdocs in our bargaining surveys.

• We proposed a three-year collective agreement Jan 2022-Dec 2024; 27.01) (Compromised)
• We have currently proposed a four-year collective agreement Jan 2022-Dec 2025; 27.01) if our minimum salary is raised enough.

                              Union initial      Dal initial        Union compromise        Dal proposal

January 2022          $45,000                   --                              --                                 --

January 2023          $50,000                   --                          $45,000                          --

January 2024          $55,000              $40,000                    $48,000                      $42,500

January 2025                --                   $40,000                    $50,000                      $45,000

As you can see, we have made considerable concessions, but our current proposals work out to hourly wages of $21.63, $23.08 or $24.04/hour for 2023, 2024 or 2025, respectively. The current Dal proposals work out to $20.43 or $21.64/hour for 2024 or 2025, respectively. We have also compromised on retroactive increases and our current 2023 compromise is that these minimum salaries take effect on October 1st 2023. 

Rationale: The current minimum salary is $38,500, which works out to $18.51/hr (based on the current 40/hr work week) and is $2,250/month after tax. This is less than the average value of a CIHR/NSERC fellowship in 2010 ($40,000), which had at that time not changed since 2003. 

In 2022, a living wage was considered to be $23.50 in Halifax and the average cost of a one bedroom apartment in Halifax (based on numbers given on the Dalhousie website) was $1,770 a month in March 2023, and has since risen to $1,825. According to our most recent reports, 2% of postdocs are currently paid at the minimum salary, 9% are paid below $45,000 and 22% are paid below $50,000. This clearly shows that the majority of faculty supervisors are able to find the money to pay postdocs a living wage. Our aim here is to ensure that all postdocs are paid a living wage. 

Postdocs at McGill University have recently been given increases to salaries of $41,500 in 2023, $45,000 in 2024 and $48,000 in 2025 (based on a 35/hr work week, equating to hourly wages of $22.80, $24.73 and $26.37), while the average rent of a one bedroom apartment in Montréal is less than that in Halifax ($1,585), and the living wage is currently $17.72.

• January 2022: 4.5%
• January 2023: 4.5%
• January 2024: 4.5%
• These should be applied retroactively to those employees that are at or above the minimum salaries
• We have currently compromised to 3%, 2.5% and 2.5% for 2023, 2024 and 2025, respectively, but Dal has proposed only 1% and 1.5% for 2024 and 2025, respectively.

Rationale: see above rationale for higher salaries. Furthermore, McGill postdocs have been given retroactive salary increases in their latest agreement.

• Dal shall contribute $0.01 per hour worked to the PSAC Social Justice Fund

• Ensure every postdoc becomes a member of the union upon hire and receives an info package from the union (5.01) (Compromised)
• Require HR or a union representative to meet with new postdocs to provide necessary info about working at Dal (5.07) (Withdrawn)
• Local support funding provided by the employer to assist in administering the CA (5.19) (Withdrawn)
• New postdocs shall be provided with a link to the union membership card in their letter of appointment (5.01) (Agreed)

Rationale: Make sure that every postdoc knows their rights as well as who they can go to if they have issues or need support. The additional funding support will provide money to the Local that can be used for e.g., providing an honorarium to Local executive members – without increasing the dues at all. 

• Update to reflect NS Human Rights Act and expand protections found in other CAs at the university (7.02) (Agreed)

Rationale: the changes to this article specifically set out all types of harassment that are covered within the NS Human Rights Act. 

• Minimum contract length of 1 year except in particular circumstances (12.05) (Agreed)
• Improvements to letter of appointment (12.06) (Agreed)
• Notice of contract extension of at least 60 calendar days except where funding has not been secured (NEW 12.07) (Agreed)
• No further probation and salary protection for contract renewals (NEW 12.08) (Withdrawn)

Rationale: make contracts fairer for postdocs by ensuring that contracts are longer where possible, letters of appointment give clear information (e.g., on how to enroll in benefits), that salaries cannot go down if your contract is extended by your respective PIs and you should not be allowed to undergo an additional probation period. 

• Reduce probation from 6 to 3 months (13.01) (Withdrawn)
• Proper feedback and time to improve given to postdocs during probation (13.02) (Compromised)
• If, during the probationary period, considers the postdocs performance to be unsatisfactory, this feedback will be provided in writing and the postdoc will be given the opportunity to improve (13.02) (Agreed)

Rationale: bring the probationary period in line with NS labour law and ensure that postdocs are given a chance to improve upon performance within the probationary period (should it be deemed unsatisfactory). 

• Reduce hours of work from 40h/week to 37.5h/week (14.02) (Withdrawn)
• Agreement in writing for work beyond 50h/week (14.03) (Agreed)
• Ensure postdocs are paid for all hours worked and paid overtime beyond 43.25h/week (NEW 14.04) (Withdrawn)
• Process for taking compensatory leave (NEW 14.05) (Withdrawn)
• Travel time shall be considered time worked (NEW 14.06) (Withdrawn)

Rationale: bring working hours in line with other universities in Canada, give protections for anyone required to work overtime and that travel time, for example to conferences, is considered as time worked. 

• Consistent job evaluations (15.02) (Compromised)
• Evaluations of the postdoc by the supervisor should normally be scheduled annually (15.02)
• Opportunity for exit interviews to be opt-out rather than opt-in (15.05) (Compromised)
• Exit interviews are still opt-in, but may be with an HR representative, supervisor or Dean of the relevant Faculty (as decided by the postdoc (15.05) (Agreed)

Rationale: require regular job evaluations so that postdocs may get feedback on their work and postdocs also gets an opportunity to provide feedback to their PIs. Exit interviews are currently an opt-in, and we wanted to make them opt-out to ensure that any issues with supervisors or university admin are discussed at the exit interview. 

•  Removal of disciplinary records after 12 months rather than 24 (16.07) (Compromised)
• Removal of disciplinary records after 18 months rather than 24 (16.07) (Agreed)

Rationale: bring in line with other universities. 

• Reference letter for a postdoc who reports or testifies the scholarly misconduct of their supervisor (17.02) (Withdrawn)

Rationale: ensure that a postdoc who reports misconduct of their supervisor is able to get a reference letter from the most appropriate other university member (e.g., another member of the same department). 

• Remove current limits on outside professional activities (21.01-02) (Compromised)
• Outside professional activities should not be unreasonably denied and postdocs can't be prevented from stating their employment at the university (21.01-02) (Agreed)

Rationale: currently postdocs are technically required to ask for permission from their supervisor to do any outside scholarly activities i.e., teachings/consulting etc., and we are removing that requirement. However, it is important to note that for postdocs who are currently on work permits sponsored by Dalhousie, they should still check with HR and/or immigration authorities to see if they can perform teaching/consulting.

• Increase vacation from 15 days per year to 20 (25.01) (Compromised)
• Postdocs that have been at the university for less than two years will have 15 days vacation, while those with two or more years will get 20 days vacation per year (25.01) (Agreed)

Rationale: increase vacation leave.  

• Add National Day of Truth and Reconciliation (25.02) (Agreed)
• Compensation at time and a half for hours a postdoc is required to work on a holiday, as well as provisions for ensuring postdoc can choose pay or time off in lieu (NEW XX.02) (Withdrawn)

Rationale: if working on a holiday is required, then it is compensated at a higher rate to compensate for potentially missing time where most other people are off.  

• Two months of leave for surgery, hospitalization and serious illness (NEW XX.01) (Compromised)
• Five days of leave for surgery, hospitalization and serious illness (NEW XX.01) (Agreed)
• Supplemental parental leave benefit improvement to 100% of postdoc’s salary rather than 100% of minimum floor salary, as well as option for further unpaid leave (25.06) (Withdrawn, but amended to say that further unpaid leave should not be denied)
• Additional persons added to bereavement leave, gender neutral language and ability for employer to grant additional leave (25.07) (Agreed)
• Improvements to union leave including increase from 5 to 15 days per year and salary continuance (25.09) (Compromised)
• Improvements to union leave including increase from 5 to 12 days per year and salary continuance (25.09) (Agreed)
• Leave with pay for postdocs participating in labour proceedings/meetings (NEW XX.XX) (Agreed)
• Paid leave of absence for members of negotiating team (NEW XX.XX) (Withdrawn)
• New leave for family illness of up to 5 days (NEW XX.XX) (Agreed)
• New leave of ten weeks for those experiencing domestic violence (NEW XX.XX) (Compromised)
• New leave of two weeks for those experiencing domestic violence (NEW XX.XX) (Agreed)

Rationale: bring leaves of absence in line with other universities in Canada and other groups at Dal. Particularly, the need for time off for family illness rather than only personal illness has become apparent during the pandemic, and we also want to ensure leave for purposes other than the standard sick days. 

• Notice of postdoc resignation of 10 days (XX.01) (Agreed)
• Reason for non-extension of contract (XX.02) (Withdrawn)
• Dismissal only for just cause (XX.04) (Agreed)
• If employer ends contract early, postdoc receives at least 6 weeks’ notice or pay in lieu (XX.06) (Compromised)
• If employer ends contract early, postdoc receives at least 4 weeks’ notice or pay in lieu (XX.06) (Agreed)

Rationale: additional protections for postdocs, particularly so as a reason must be given for contracts not to be renewed where a postdoc wants them to be. 

• Commitment by employer to training and professional development of postdocs (XX.01-03) (Compromised but agreed that postdocs should be encouraged to participate in professional development and opportunities should not be unreasonably denied. Time spent engaging in these should be considered time worked, unless as part of a separate employment contract)
• New professional allowance of $55/month (XX.XX) (Withdrawn)
• Requests for Adjunct scholar FGS appointments should not be unreasonably denied (XX.04) (Agreed)

Rationale: money for postdocs to spend as necessary on professional development. 

• Financial assistance to postdocs who must relocate for their positions (XX.01) (Compromised and then withdrawn)
• We wish to discuss temporary housing (Withdrawn)

Rationale: give some travel expenses to all postdocs that need to relocate from outside the province. Many postdocs also brought up the issue of a lack of housing available in Halifax (particularly for those unable to visit the city prior to moving here), so we wish to discuss options with the university for temporary housing for a period of time after postdocs arrive. During the summer (May 15th – Aug. 15th), dorms are available for rent, but during the rest of the school year we are not aware of anything that is available.

• No loss of employment or hours due to new technology (XX.01) (Agreed)
• Training on new technologies (XX.02) (Agreed)

Rationale: ensure that no postdoc loses their job because of new technology.

• This is governed by the university policy (XX.01) (Agreed)

Rationale: this policy didn't exist when the previous collective agreement was agreed.

• Employees and family members to have access to the Student Health and Wellness Centre (XX.01) (Withdrawn)