By Newspot Nigeria Education Desk
EVANSTON, ILLINOIS — A coalition of over 1,300 postdoctoral researchers at Northwestern University is calling for official recognition of their newly formed labor union, citing fears over job security, healthcare changes, and immigration threats under the current political climate.
In a passionate show of solidarity, members of the Northwestern University Postdoc Union (NUPU), affiliated with the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), marched across campus Tuesday and delivered a formal petition to university administrators. The group demanded voluntary recognition of their union, which now holds majority support among postdoctoral staff.
“There’s a lot of fear,” said Ahmad Othman, a postdoctoral researcher in the university’s urology department. “Being a postdoc puts you in a very vulnerable position, especially when you’re not sure whether your funding, healthcare, or even visa will survive the next month.”
The petition comes as Northwestern reels from deep financial shocks, including $790 million in frozen federal research grants and a steep endowment tax increase following new policies enacted by the Trump administration. The school has already announced cost-cutting measures: a hiring freeze, alterations to health insurance, and non-personnel budget reductions.
Faculty sources told the Chicago Tribune that the university is burning through nearly $10 million weekly just to maintain ongoing research efforts.
For international researchers like Ekta Bhattacharya, who left India for her role at Northwestern’s Center for Synthetic Biology, the situation feels especially precarious. “This job was a dream come true, but now I live every day uncertain about my future. I don’t know if my contract will be renewed in six months,” she said.
Over 70% of NUPU-UE’s members are international researchers, whose visa status is directly tied to their employment. The union warns that the Trump administration’s continued crackdown on foreign student and researcher visas is stoking fear across the campus.
Jake Julia, Vice Provost for Administration, received the petition outside the Rebecca Crown Center and listened as members outlined their demands, including higher pay, better healthcare, and stronger workplace protections.
“We need to join forces now more than ever, especially with budget cuts around the corner,” said Jennifer Rakotomamonjy, a postdoctoral fellow.
If the university declines to voluntarily recognize the union, NUPU-UE says it will proceed to seek formal certification through the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The university, in a statement, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting postdocs but did not commit to recognizing the union.
Postdocs emphasized that beyond salaries, the stakes include the very survival of cutting-edge labs that power Northwestern’s research engine in fields like artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and pediatric diseases.
“Given the climate of the country right now, these researchers deserve more than just words,” Othman said. “They need action, protection, and a seat at the table.”
The union has requested an official response from Northwestern by Monday.
This development is being closely watched across U.S. higher education, as more research institutions face pressure to improve conditions for the often-overlooked postdoctoral workforce.
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