Why Become a Union Member?

UAW 2750 represents all Fellows at NIH — postbacs, predocs, postdocs, research fellows, and clinical fellows. Every Fellow is covered by our contract and its protections. But membership is how you shape what comes next. You can join the growing majority today!

This is a critical moment.

Federal workers and biomedical research are under attack. Funding cuts and threats to scientific independence put our work — and our livelihoods — at risk. The strongest defense we have is each other. A union with high membership is harder to ignore, harder to dismantle, and more powerful at the bargaining table and in the halls of power. When we show up as a united majority, we win. When we're divided or disengaged, we're vulnerable.

Members decide the direction of our union.

All Fellows benefit from the rights and protections in our contract — but only members vote on union decisions, ratify contracts, elect leadership, and run for office. Membership is how you make your voice count in the decisions that shape your working conditions, your pay, and your future at NIH. Read more about how members can participate in the democracy of our local union.

What your dues fund.

Dues are 1.1% of your paycheck — and they come back to you directly. Dues fund the day-to-day work of enforcing our contract, representing Fellows in workplace issues, building our collective power through member-to-member organizing, and preparing for our next contract negotiation. They also fund legal support to protect science funding and workers' rights at the federal level. Every dollar is approved and overseen by the membership.

In short: dues are how we pool our resources to protect and expand the rights we've already won — and fight for more. Read more about membership and dues in our FAQs.

What we've already won together.

In 2024, Fellows ratified our first-ever contract, winning guaranteed paid parental leave, enforceable protections against harassment and discrimination, annual pay increases, workload protections, and much more. See the full before & after and our full contract.

These wins came from Fellows standing together. Membership is how we make sure they stick and how we build on them.