Overwhelming Strike Vote by SPOC-UAW Postdocs at Mt. Sinai

Postdoctoral Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai voted to authorize their elected bargaining teams to call a strike if circumstances justify. Of the 377 Postdoc members who cast a ballot, 342 (91%) voted yes to authorize their bargaining team to call a strike, according to votes tallied Sunday.

Postdocs, who voted to form their union in June of 2022, have been at the bargaining table with Sinai for more than ten months. Since then, administrators have stalled on both economic and non-economic demands, rejected basic rights other unionized postdocs already have and attempted to intimidate international workers with the possibility of negative consequences to their visa status for engaging in a lawful strike. The union has filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge over Sinai’s actions.

“The outcome of this vote is clear,” said Hunter Korsmo, a Postdoc in the Nephrology Department. “We are disappointed that it has come to this, but our decisive strike authorization vote indicates there is strong support for our demands. A strong first contract will be good for postdocs, and good for research at Mount Sinai.” Follow the Postdocs' fight here!