Update on HAW-UAW Negotiations - November 10, 2026
Dear Members of the Harvard Community,
The University’s bargaining team met late yesterday with members of the Harvard Academic Workers-United Auto Workers (HAW-UAW), putting forward updated proposals in several key areas, including compensation and benefits. This latest meeting, following a bargaining session last Friday, was part of the University’s ongoing commitment to good-faith bargaining.
The HAW-UAW bargaining unit represents non-tenure-track academic and staff workers performing research and teaching at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard Divinity School, and Harvard Medical School. We value the academic contributions of this unit and will continue to bargain in good faith.
While negotiating an initial contract requires significant time due to the absence of pre-existing language from which to work, the two parties have made substantial progress on many issues and topic areas. To date, we have reached tentative agreements on 27 articles over the course of 54 sessions.
Although we recognize HAW-UAW's right to undertake the strike they began today, the University believes that with the substantial progress already made to date, outstanding issues can be resolved at the bargaining table. The University’s positions and proposals on key issues are highlighted below:
Updated Compensation Offer
The University has continued to be responsive to HAW-UAW priorities on compensation, and on Monday, November 9, in an updated four-year contract proposal, offered increases of:
- 3.5% increase upon ratification
- 3.25% increase in the second year
- 3.25% increase in the third year
- 3.25% increase in the fourth year
The proposed four-year contract would also include a 1.0% salary bonus to all members of the bargaining unit upon ratification of the contract.
In addition to these across-the-board increases, the University has also offered significant increases in minimum salary for all postdoctoral researchers in FAS, SEAS, and HMS (almost 10% increase for FAS postdocs), and the University has now proposed an increase in the minimum salary for all lecturers and preceptors to $75,000, a 6.7% increase over the current minimum.
Benefits
In this most recent session, as part of its economic package, the University agreed to make postdoctoral researchers eligible for retirement contributions effective July 1, 2027. This was a critical benefit demand of the union from the beginning of negotiations and has a value equivalent to about 2% in salary. Additionally, in previous sessions, the University agreed to an array of new benefits, including funding for professional development for lecturers, access to dental insurance for teaching assistants, additional personal and vacation days, and more flexibility for use of sick days.
Time Caps/Working Conditions
HAW-UAW identified that ending time caps was a top priority during its organizing campaign. The University has conveyed the Faculty of Arts and Sciences’ agreement to end the long-standing practice of mandating that instructional personnel must be automatically released after a stated number of years. Going forward, each employee’s reappointment will be assessed on performance, budget, and curricular need. The current offer also proposes new promotional opportunities for lecturers and preceptors. Also, based on the union’s demand during negotiations, preceptors will be reclassified as lecturers once the contract is ratified.
Non-U.S. Resident Workers
The University has agreed to provide paid leave for non-citizen workers to attend visa and immigration hearings for themselves or their spouse and dependents. In addition, the University has agreed that in some circumstances an employee may be granted an exception to allow remote work outside of the United States for a limited period of time. In the event the University cannot continue to employ an employee as a result of immigration status, the University will hold the position open for a reasonable period of time.
Non-Discrimination and Harassment Policies and Procedures
The University’s long-standing position is that every member of our community should be subject to and have access to the same set of non-discrimination, anti-bullying, and harassment policies and procedures. University policies and procedures were developed and adopted through a careful process with extensive community input. HAW-UAW’s proposal seeks to establish a separate set of procedures available only to union members. The University believes that all community members should have access to the same policies and procedures through the University’s Policies and Procedures for Non-Discrimination, Anti-Bullying, Sexual Harassment, and Other Sexual Misconduct.
Union Dues
The University believes that academic workers should be able to decide for themselves to opt to join a union or pay union dues when they accept union-eligible teaching or research positions.
HAW-UAW members play a vital role in Harvard’s teaching and research mission and in mentoring our students. This recognition has guided and continues to guide our commitment to reaching a first collective bargaining agreement with HAW-UAW, which we will continue to pursue in sessions already scheduled in the coming weeks. The University’s academic unionization website will continue to be updated with the University’s current proposals and positions, updates on negotiations, and guidance for faculty and staff.
Sincerely,
John F. Manning
Provost
Meredith Weenick
Executive Vice President