Longtime representatives from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Chris Tucker and Geny Ulloa, have led various union organizing campaigns. However, their experience with lab workers at Tempus AI, a precision medicine company in Chicago, was distinct from previous efforts.
“They interviewed us,” said Tucker. “They were interviewing unions and we were one of the candidates that they were looking at to form their union.”
The 350 lab workers at Tempus AI sought stronger safety standards, improved work-life balance, more competitive pay and benefits, as well as greater equity and transparency from their employer. They conducted thorough research on potential unions before choosing IAM.
“They are at the forefront of technology, using AI to study diseased cells to improve cancer care. Yet, they believe that their work should not come at the expense of their rights and wellbeing,” said IAM Midwest Territory Coordinator William “Bill” LePinske. “Their union will set a new standard for what workers can expect and demand in the biotech industry.”
Anson Poe, a Tempus AI lab worker, explained why they selected IAM: “We landed on the Machinists because they had experience with tech, they had experience with healthcare, and the reps I talked to were very responsive.”
Tucker highlighted responsiveness as key: “They chose the IAM because we were the most responsive,” he said. “When they reached out to us, we got back to them right away… We gave them the information and waited for them to come back to us.”
After selecting IAM Union, both organizers and workers engaged in mutual education about labor rights and representation processes. Tucker noted that many lab employees worked long hours without adequate recognition or compensation.
“I’ve never worked at a place where I get along so well with my coworkers,” said Poe. “I just saw management never listening to their good ideas, and I wanted to make them listen.”
Tucker added: “They needed our help. They know their field and workplace, and we know how to build a union. We came together, and they made this union their own.”
The organizing committee held regular virtual meetings over two years while informing colleagues about unionization efforts.
“The committee was very resilient for two years,” said Tucker. “We met every other week in virtual meetings for two years… The committee was very dedicated.”
In creating an identity for themselves as “Tempus Unio,” workers designed a logo featuring a fist within a DNA sequence circle.
“They educated themselves. The company came to find that these workers weren’t scared at all,” said Tucker. “They knew their rights… They even set up a table at lunchtime that said ‘come ask me about our union’.”
By March 2024, Tempus Unio voted for IAM representation; by then, the bargaining unit included 443 lab workers who formed Local H1 under IAM Midwest Territory’s first healthcare unit.
“What this group means to us is they have put us in a position where we are ready to take on any sector… young workers, nontraditional workplaces and emerging industries,” Ulloa stated.
Negotiations for an initial contract began with Bill LePinske as lead negotiator.
“We spent a lot of time in preparation,” LePinske said. “Everything was very well thought out… On both sides of the table it wasn’t about winning or losing; it was about solving problems.”
The first contract took effect April 24, 2025—just over one year after certification—and addressed core concerns including work–life balance, pay increases between 10%–12.5% over three years (with merit options), retroactive wage increases from February 24, 2025 onward if new hires exceed contractual minimums by more than five percent; annual stock grants; establishment of safety committees; grievance procedures; arbitration processes; and improved paid time off rules.
“We got a first contract in only eight bargaining sessions,” said Tucker. He credited the bargaining committee’s dedication: “They spent a lot of their own time… They took everybody into account.”
Ulloa added: “Securing the first contract without any sort of issues has sent a strong message throughout the labor movement and America saying we are ready… We are ready to take on any challenge that is put in front of us.”
The new local’s name is “Next Generation Local H1,” reflecting both advances in biotech research—specifically Next Generation Sequencing—and innovation in labor organizing.
“The name is symbolic of their young energy coming into the space,” LePinske commented.
