Hundreds of postdoctoral scholars and research associates at Northwestern University voted to unionize this week, nearly two months after petitioning school officials.
Researchers cast 515 votes to be represented by the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, and 13 votes against. The final tally was certified Wednesday by the National Labor Relations Board.
“It’s beyond exciting to be part of something like this,” said Julia Fadjukov, 36, a postdoctoral fellow researching ophthalmology. “Every postdoc that will now come to Northwestern, not just us, will have this. And we all built it together.”
The move comes at a time of unprecedented uncertainty at Northwestern, as administrators stare down five months of $790 million federal funding freeze. To fill the budget hole, have implemented several cost-cutting measures, including eliminating 425 staff positions and reducing employee benefits. Faculty have been urged to curb spending in laboratories, stalling potentially life-saving research.
In light of those cuts, members of the Northwestern Postdoctoral Union, or NUPU-UE, said they are seeking higher wages, workplace protections and job security. The vote paves the way for the collective bargaining process with the university.
More than 1,100 postdocs staff Northwestern’s network of research labs. Most work on short-term contracts tied to specific grants, which are not guaranteed to be renewed.
“Unortunately, there’s cuts and changes being made, and even though we don’t have a contract yet, at least now, we have a voice,” Ahmad Othman, 40, a postdoctoral scholar in the department of urology.
In July, members petitioned Northwestern to voluntarily recognize the union, but the university declined. School officials acknowledged the NLRB vote in an email to faculty and staff Wednesday.
“Northwestern deeply values the contributions that postdocs and research associates make to the university’s research and teaching missions,” the email said. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to support and prepare them for future success.”
Top of mind for NUPU-UE is increased support for international workers. The Trump administration has intensified scrutiny in the visa process, sowing widespread fear on campus, members said. Roughly 70% of the union’s members are from outside of the U.S.
“This job is our dream job. We love to do research and science for a living, but with everything going on in the U.S. at the moment, it has definitely felt like there’s this strong sense of fear,” said Fadjukov, who is from Finland. “I think many of us feel that with (the union), we can have a safe space to do our work.”
NUPU-UE’s certification follows the unionization of Northwestern’s graduate student workers, which represents about 2,800 students who ratified their first contract last year.
