University of Washington, WPERC Case No. 129731-E-17
On October 3, 2017, the UAW filed a petition with the Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (WPERC) seeking to represent a bargaining unit composed of 1150 post-doctoral employees at the University of Washington in the following proposed unit:
Included: All postdoctoral employees employed by the University of Washington in the following titles: Senior Fellows (10445), Senior Fellow Trainee (10442), Research Associate (10148), Research Associate Trainee (10150), and also including employees in the following titles, Acting Instructor, Lecturer, Acting Assistant Professor, and Visiting Scientist, who meet the definition of post-doctoral employee set forth in the University of Washington Office of Post-Doctoral Affairs Handbook "An individual who has received a doctoral degree and is engaged in a temporary and defined period of mentored advanced training to enhance the professional skills and research independence needed to pursue his or her chosen career path."
On March 3, 2017, WPERC Executive Director Michael P. Sellars issued a decision directing an election concerning the UAW representation petition. In his decision, Executive Director Sellars ruled that Research Associates and Research Associate Trainees belong in the same bargaining unit with other post-doctoral employees even though the two positions have been designated as faculty by the university.
More recently, approximately 200 post-doctoral employees engaged in a "work-in" protest at the university's administration building concerning the possibility that the university would appeal the WPERC Executive Director's decision. According to a news report, the university has announced that it will not be appealing, which would have delayed the holding of the representation election.