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NIH Fellows United Bargaining Survey

Now that we have won our union, Fellows are preparing to bargain with the NIH. This survey includes issues that many Fellows have stated they would like protected or expanded upon.
Please respond with how important each issue is to you. If you have additional topics you would like addressed or proposed solutions, leave them in the spaces provided.

This survey is one component of informing the Fellows on the bargaining committee who we will soon be electing about the issues that are important to all of us in bargaining. This survey will be used to formulate initial bargaining demands which we will all vote on, and there will be opportunity to participate throughout the process. For more information on the bargaining process, visit nihfellowsunited.org/faq.
1.Contact Info(Required.)
Please evaluate these bargaining priorities on a scale of 1 (low importance) to 5 (high importance).
Wages, Compensation, and Benefits
2.Improve health, dental, and vision insurance benefits
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
3.Guaranteed and equitable access to relocation benefits
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
4.Increasing time off and protecting the right of Fellows to access that time
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
5.Increasing pay scales and equalizing across institutes
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
6.Ensure that Fellows pay is set in a transparent and equitable way
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
7.Converting all fellows to W-2 employees
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
8.Other priorities and solutions
A More Just, Equitable, and Inclusive Workplace
9.Create a survivor-centered, transparent, third party grievance process in cases of bullying, harassment, and discrimination
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
10.Protect and expand existing OITE resources for navigating cases of bullying, harassment, and discrimination
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
11.Guaranteed transitional funding and support for Fellows who switch labs due to harassment, bullying, and discrimination
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
12.Ensure that supervisors are capable of providing an equitable and inclusive work environment
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
13.Grant Fellows the opportunity to work remotely when possible
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
14.Other priorities and solutions
Infrastructure, Safety, and Emergencies
15.Workplace safety concerns addressed in a timely manner
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
16.Ensure that emergency and building safety planning includes Fellows
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
17.Other priorities and solutions
Support for Parents and Families
18.Increase paid family leave and protect the right of Fellows to use it
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
19.Childcare subsidies for NIH and/or external facilities
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
20.Greater support for lactating parents
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
21.Protection for fellows whose schedules include care responsibilities or need to take breaks for said responsibilities
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
22.Other priorities and solutions
Career Development
23.Ensure advanced funding and timely reimbursement for work-related travel
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
24.Protect existing OITE career development resources
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
25.Ensure that Fellows are not penalized in recommendation letters for seeking recourse for workplace problems via union grievances or other resources
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
26.Protected use of work time for career development, orientations, and service
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
27.Ensure proper academic credit is given on papers and grant applications
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
28.Other priorities and solutions
International Researchers
29.Ensure NIH meets all timelines and fulfills all obligations in visa processes
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
30.Financial and administrative assistance for visiting fellows pursuing visas and green cards
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
31.Paid time off for immigration appointments and reasonable leave to visit family abroad
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
32.Increase and standardize contract lengths across institutes in order to allow longer visas
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
33.Other priorities and solutions
Appointments and Job Security
34.Create clear expectations for work duties and performance which are appropriate for the fellow’s experience level
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
35.Improve the renewal process such that it is transparent, equitable, and protects fellows from wrongful termination.
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
36.Ensure that  fellows are  provided with info about our union and all resources available to them during onboarding
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
37.Enforceable and neutral grievance process for resolving workplace disputes
1 (Least Important)
2
3
4
5 (Most Important)
38.Other priorities and solutions
39.What other issues do you think Fellows should address via bargaining?
40.I want to work with other Fellows to win a great contract.