The nearly 500 members at the Research Foundation and based at Graduate Center, LaGuardia Community College, City Tech and the School of Labor and Urban Studies have ratified a new collective bargaining agreement.
It was a long and tense fight, activists and organizers said. “With the support of union staff, we mounted an escalating campaign to mobilize hundreds of RF employees, as well as other PSC chapters and members, principal investigators, and city and state officials to turn the tide and win the changes reflected in the proposed agreement,” said PSC Chapter Chair Antonica James in a message to members.
The chapter engaged in letter writing, a social media campaign and a demonstration. Some key gains:
- Wage increases over four years:
- October 1, 2024: 2% or $0.70/hour*
- January 1, 2025: 1%
- October 1, 2025: 3.25% or $0.70/hour*
- October 1, 2026: 3.25% or $0.70/hour*
- October 1, 2027: 3.25% or $0.70/hour*
*$0.70/hour applies to employees who earn less than $20/hour.
- Retroactive raises: Wage increases shall be retroactive to October 1, 2024, to all covered employees on the June 11, 2025, payroll and shall be paid within 30 days of ratification.
- Onetime lump sum payments: All covered employees on the June 11, 2025, payroll will receive a lump sum payment of between $500 and $2,000, depending on full-time/part-time status and years of service.
- Expanded tuition reimbursement & faster processing of reimbursements: For the first time, tuition reimbursement for part-time B employees (4-19 hours/week) who have been employed with the RF for two consecutive years and who work at least 12 hours/week. Also, a new requirement that tuition reimbursements shall be processed within 30 days of an employee submitting the required forms.
- Reduced service time requirement for health insurance eligibility: Reduced service time requirement from four months to 90 calendar days of employment for full-time and part-time A employees to be eligible to enroll in health and dental insurance.
- Use of sick leave for care of a family member: Increase from 40 to 56 hours the amount of leave that can be used for care of a family member.
- More paid holidays: Include Juneteenth as a scheduled paid holiday.
- Annual leave: Eliminate the 3-month service requirement, so employees can more easily use their annual leave days.
- Reappointments: New contractual language that employees and principal investigators shall receive notices from the RF of the pending expiration of the employees’ appointment within 60 days and 30 days of that expiration, in order to facilitate timely communication from PIs about reappointments.
- Dignity and respect: New contractual language stating that all employees are entitled to be treated with dignity and respect, free of verbal and nonverbal abuse, intimidating body language, retaliation or hostility.
- Union orientations: Contractual language to ensure new employees receive information about the union protections during new hire orientations.
Published: December 11, 2025
