For the first time in history, Caltech Graduate Student Workers and Postdocs have a ratified contract, negotiated on equal footing with the Caltech administration. 60% of grads and postdocs voted, with 86% voting yes! This victory belongs to all of us—everyone who voted, talked to their coworkers, shared their own struggles under current conditions, and supported each other at the We Keep Us Safe rally and the Mass Membership Meeting and demonstrated our power with a strong Strike Authorization Vote. CGPU-UAW and the Caltech administration have issued a joint statement regarding the ratification vote.
Our contract makes huge strides in workplace improvement for GSWs and Postdocs, codifying some of the strongest anti-bullying and anti-harassment measures in the industry, unprecedented support for international scholars, and marked improvements in financial compensation. Importantly, these protections have come into being without the need for further escalation, and just as the Trump administration has started taking action against research funding and workers’ rights. This contract contains the strongest protections in academia against the Trump administration.
Friday, January 31st is the first anniversary of our union election! Join us in celebrating the day and our new contract by wearing your CGPU t-shirt to work.
Here’s what comes next:
April 1st, 2025: Contract goes into effect.
No later than May 15th 2025: $800 ratification bonus to every GSW and PD!
July 2025: First dues/agency fees are deducted (see below for more information).
September 2025: Raises begin.
We understand that there has been a lot of confusion around the Agency Fee Notice on the ratification ballot. There will be more information sent about this soon, but you can refer to the email sent on Tuesday night to learn more about what it means to be an agent or a member. It’s important to note that none of these deductions or penalties will go into effect until after July 1st, and not before there is more information about all of your options.
Despite our historic gains, all of us know that there is more left to fight for. Postdocs, especially those with dependents, need more support. This union, and the continued fight for better pay and better working conditions, belongs to every single one of us. The benefits gained by unionizing and negotiating are not a service offered by outsiders; they are won because all of us participate in democracy and collective action. Let’s keep that momentum going—if you would like to get involved in enforcing your strong union contract, please contact organize@cgpu.org.
In solidarity,
Rohan Shenoy, GSW, PMA
Chenyu Jiang, GSW, CCE
Aditi Narayanan, GSW, BBE
Soham Bhattacharya, PD, PMA
Olivia Pitcl, GSW, EAS
Korbi Thalhammer, GSW, GPS
Jasmine Emtage, GSW, BBE
Boyuan Chen, GSW, CCE
Angela Gao, GSW, EAS
Jack Wilding, GSW, GPS
Tom Naragon, GSW, CCE
David Abramovitch, GSW, EAS
George Yuzhe Zhou, GSW, PMA
Shruteek Mairal, GSW, CCE
Ingrid Shan, GSW, EAS
Amanda Bednarick, GSW, GPS
Patrick Meyers, PD, PMA
Samuel J. Dunham, PD, PMA
Juliet Lee, GSW, CCE
Richard Horak, GSW, BBE
Calvin Rusley, GSW, GPS
Aadithya Ganapathy Shankar, GSW, EAS
Justin Widjaja, GSW, EAS
Sam Ponnada, GSW, PMA
Michael Greklek-McKeon, GSW, GPS
Sophie Hourihane, GSW, PMA
James Williams, GSW, EAS
Jessica Jacobs-Li, GSW, BBE
Nadia Suryawinata, GSW, BBE
Emma Lenz, GSW, EAS
Ruth Moorman, GSW, GPS
Varun Wadia, PD, HSS
Kyle Nelli, GSW, PMA
Simona Miller, GSW, PMA
Harshda Saxena , GSW, PMA
Forrest McCann, GSW, GPS
Abdullah Farooq, GSW, BBE
Delaney Dunne, GSW, PMA
Aaron Weaver, GSW, CCE
Noah Robinson, GSW, BBE
Josef Svoboda, PD, PMA
Jack Caldwell, GSW, EAS
Rahma Elsiesy, GSW, BBE
Ruolin Deng, GSW, GPS
Adrian Colazo, GSW, CCE
Jessica Griffiths, PD, BBE
Natasha Reich, GSW, CCE
Joshua Quinn Morgan, GSW, EAS