Postdoc Identity, Jurisdictional Issues, Ideologies, and Unions: Considerations in Organizing Professionals. (June 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rhoades, Gary
• Is Part Of: Labor studies journal. Volume 48:Number 2(2023)
• Page Start: 101
• Page End: 120
• Publication Date: 2023-06
• Subjects: postdocs -- unionizing -- discourse -- jurisdiction -- identity -- ideology; Industrial relations -- Periodicals; Labor unions -- Periodicals; Industrial relations -- United States -- Periodicals; Labor unions -- United States -- Periodicals; Labor -- Periodicals; 331
• DOI: 10.1177/0160449X231155636
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0160-449X

Abstract

This study of U.S. postdocs and unions analyzes the public discourse of national entities, a national postdoc advocacy group, and of local postdoc unions and their collective bargaining agreements. The analytical focus and findings address: (a) postdocs' identity as "professors-in-training" or exploited employees; (b) the professional jurisdictional issues and due process rights identified as problematic and on which postdocs' bargaining is focused; and (c) broader ideologies and social justice issues that characterize postdocs' working conditions and that inform their mobilizing. The findings offer insights into organizing professionals in a time when their status/work is being degraded.