Continuity of Research: Information on UAW Contract Impacts on Sponsored Research
In December 2022, the University of California completed agreements on contracts with Academic Researchers, Postdoctoral Scholars, and Graduate Student Researchers. These agreements have several salary and benefit provisions that impact externally-funded research.
NOTE: BEFORE SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION FOR RESEARCH RELIEF FUNDING, PLEASE CONFER WITH YOUR DEAN AND/OR VICE CHANCELLOR’S BUSINESS OFFICE TO CONFIRM THAT FUNDS REMAIN AVAILABLE.
Find out more information about the Research Relief Application.
For new grant proposals, the new salary and benefit amounts should be included in the proposal budget. Salary amounts to budget can be found at University of California's Academic Salary Scale Revisions.
For existing contracts and grants, the anticipated total impact is estimated to be approximately between $15 and $20 million (total impact for currently funded awards through the contract agreement period). Increases for individual appointments at each step begin in April, 2023 with annual increases in October for each of the subsequent years of the agreements. Annual increases vary from 3.5% to 18% with cumulative increases up to 52% depending on the appointment and experience level.
For information specifically related to UC San Diego's response to the strike, visit UC San Diego Labor Negotiation Updates.
Vice Chancellor Guidance
Our campus is committed to collaborative solutions to cover these salary differentials with as little impact on research as possible. We anticipate that local solutions through reallocation of the budget and use of discretionary funds of the PI, Chair, and/or Dean will be sufficient to cover the majority of the new funding required for grant-funded personnel.
The Chancellor, EVC, and Academic Vice Chancellors are leveraging investments by PIs, departments, and schools by establishing a pool of funds for instances in which School-level solutions are not sufficient. Approximately $10 million from the Chancellor and Academic Vice Chancellors will be available. The fund was established to specifically cover salary differentials required by the union agreements. If other costs are requested, VCs will consider those on a case-by-case basis. The application for VC-level funding will be live in early March. Applications for VC-level funding will be required to identify the total differential funding required and funding obtained through non-VC sources by pursuing the strategies described below.
Strategies for Covering Salary Differentials on Active Grants
The following steps outline the order in which resources should be used to cover differential salaries (salary/benefit differential between what was approved on the budget and the agreements):
- Reallocate funds on contracts and grants as allowable. The primary strategy for covering salary differentials will be to absorb them into the existing budgets.
- Use discretionary funds available to the project PI. If the budget is not sufficient or has restrictions on salaries, discretionary funds of the PI should be examined.
- If costs cannot be covered through resources of the PI, the PI should discuss the needs with the Department/Division Chair and then the Dean. If additional funds are needed, the PI, with approval from the Dean, may apply for the Grant Relief Fund. The process to apply for these funds is below.
Agreement Grant Relief Fund
The Agreement Grant Relief Fund has been established to mitigate the impact of the union agreement on active contracts and grants for the period of the agreements over which the grant is active, when resources of the PI, Chair, and Dean are insufficient. As stated above, the goal of this fund is to cover funding gaps once all other sources of contract and grant funds and discretionary funds have already been used. Principal Investigators who have exhausted all strategies for covering these costs may apply for funds.
Any PI is eligible to apply (regardless of rank or track) for VC-level funding. Priority will be given to applications that have a strong rationale for additional assistance, and with the goal of avoiding any reductions in the scope of work.
The application, which will be available in early March, will require that you provide information on the differential funding required for each grant, as well as the funding secured to cover the differential.
The goal of the fund is to alleviate impact on current budgets through the agreement period. You may request assistance through the end date of each grant, but no longer than through FY25. Note that you only need to request funds once; however, resources to cover salary differentials will be paid annually. Chairs, deans, and VCs have the option to reconsider the request each year.
Additional information
- General FAQs related to the impact on grants of the UAW contracts are available here.
- For questions on funder restrictions on reallocation, consult your SPF Award Accountant.
- For questions on Labor Relations, visit Labor Relations or contact laborrelations@ucsd.edu, (858) 534-2810.
Review current UC San Diego Collective Bargaining Agreements (and Union Contacts)
If you need help or have questions that were not addressed here, please email updatequestions@ucsd.edu.