Our Post-Docs are unionizing!

[Kron3007]

How will we find cheap highly qualified labour to exploit now!?

I can only wish this was the case when I was a postdoc, but am happy to see them organizing.  It will make them more expensive, but should ultimately allow us to include higher salaries in our grant applications. 

[Parasaurolophus]

Congratulations!
Too bad te poor SSHRC/NSERC/FRQSC/etc. postdocs will still be stuck with those piddly funds, though. But I imagine they're a drop in your postdoc bucket!

[Durchlässigkeitsbeiwert]

How will we find cheap highly qualified labour to exploit now!?

Fear not: I am yet to see a university-wide salary floor that would have affected anyone I know.

[Kron3007]

Congratulations!
Too bad te poor SSHRC/NSERC/FRQSC/etc. postdocs will still be stuck with those piddly funds, though. But I imagine they're a drop in your postdoc bucket!

Well, I assume we would have to top them up to at least the minimum union approved level.  When I was an NSERC postdoc, my advisor topped me up so there is a way.

[marshwiggle]

Congratulations!
Too bad te poor SSHRC/NSERC/FRQSC/etc. postdocs will still be stuck with those piddly funds, though. But I imagine they're a drop in your postdoc bucket!

Well, I assume we would have to top them up to at least the minimum union approved level.  When I was an NSERC postdoc, my advisor topped me up so there is a way.

I'm curious where the comparators and/or industry average would come from.

[dismalist]

... my advisor topped me up so there is a way.

... to top up others: A fallacy of composition.

[Kron3007]

... my advisor topped me up so there is a way.

... to top up others: A fallacy of composition.

This is fairly common with NSERC scholarships and fellowships at the grad and postdoc level.  My university automatically tops up grad students with NSERC scholarships.  Ultimately, I would hope this type of development ultimately leads NSERC to increase their rates.

[Parasaurolophus]

Congratulations!
Too bad te poor SSHRC/NSERC/FRQSC/etc. postdocs will still be stuck with those piddly funds, though. But I imagine they're a drop in your postdoc bucket!

Well, I assume we would have to top them up to at least the minimum union approved level.  When I was an NSERC postdoc, my advisor topped me up so there is a way.

Oh! And: d'oh! I hadn't thought of that.

[dismalist]

... my advisor topped me up so there is a way.

... to top up others: A fallacy of composition.

This is fairly common with NSERC scholarships and fellowships at the grad and postdoc level.  My university automatically tops up grad students with NSERC scholarships.  Ultimately, I would hope this type of development ultimately leads NSERC to increase their rates.

I meant everybody else, not just post-docs! :-)

[Aster]

I have never really thought of post-docs as cheaply paid, considering that they're mostly fresh PhD's just entering the full-time work force.

Or is that notion different in other academic disciplines?

[Kron3007]

I have never really thought of post-docs as cheaply paid, considering that they're mostly fresh PhD's just entering the full-time work force.

Or is that notion different in other academic disciplines?

When I was a postdoc, I saw an add at my university for a line cook that paid more.  Better benefits too.  So I felt underpaid given the job requirements.

I would note that I am in Canada though, and it is my understanding that the salaries tend to be higher in the US.  It is also usually better for grad students down there, but that is another topic.

[Puget]

I have never really thought of post-docs as cheaply paid, considering that they're mostly fresh PhD's just entering the full-time work force.

Or is that notion different in other academic disciplines?

When I was a postdoc, I saw an add at my university for a line cook that paid more.  Better benefits too.  So I felt underpaid given the job requirements.

I would note that I am in Canada though, and it is my understanding that the salaries tend to be higher in the US.  It is also usually better for grad students down there, but that is another topic.

NIH (and I'm assuming NSF and other federal funder) postdoc rates were increased substantially about five years ago-- although they didn't directly say so, this was related to a planned raise of the cap for required overtime pay to $50k, so to avoid that they made sure the starting rate was just above $50k. Then Trump came in and did away with the cap increase (hey, wonder if Biden is planning to bring it back?), but the increased rate stayed. The 0 years of experience level is currently $53k and it goes up to $65k by 7+ years experience (no one should be in postdocs that long, but  that's another issue).

[Parasaurolophus]

I have never really thought of post-docs as cheaply paid, considering that they're mostly fresh PhD's just entering the full-time work force.

Or is that notion different in other academic disciplines?

As a postdoc (in Canada) I made $31 702 USD, which was a little over twice my grad stipend. Note, however, that this was in one of the highest COL cities on the continent. Rent was about 2/3 of my salary.

[Puget]

I have never really thought of post-docs as cheaply paid, considering that they're mostly fresh PhD's just entering the full-time work force.

Or is that notion different in other academic disciplines?

As a postdoc (in Canada) I made $31 702 USD, which was a little over twice my grad stipend. Note, however, that this was in one of the highest COL cities on the continent. Rent was about 2/3 of my salary.

That is about the PhD stipend rate for programs in my field (NIH rate is $26k and many programs top that up). I don't know how things compare outside the sciences though.

[mleok]

NIH (and I'm assuming NSF and other federal funder) postdoc rates were increased substantially about five years ago-- although they didn't directly say so, this was related to a planned raise of the cap for required overtime pay to $50k, so to avoid that they made sure the starting rate was just above $50k. Then Trump came in and did away with the cap increase (hey, wonder if Biden is planning to bring it back?), but the increased rate stayed. The 0 years of experience level is currently $53k and it goes up to $65k by 7+ years experience (no one should be in postdocs that long, but  that's another issue).

Our postdocs are unionized, but the salary floor seems to be geared towards postdocs in the humanities, as it has always been substantially lower than the NIH minimums.