Longtime representatives of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), Chris Tucker and Geny Ulloa, have worked on a variety of union organizing campaigns. However, their experience with lab workers at Tempus, an AI-enabled precision medicine company in Chicago, stood out as unique.
“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.”
At the time, 350 lab workers at Tempus sought improvements in safety standards, work-life balance, pay, benefits, equity, and transparency from their employer. The group was determined to select a union that aligned with their specialized work.
“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.”
Many Tempus AI lab employees hold advanced degrees and work in leading cancer research laboratories utilizing artificial intelligence. They conducted thorough research before choosing 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,” said Anson Poe, a Tempus AI lab worker.
Tucker noted that responsiveness was key during initial contact: “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, and then if we didn’t know an answer to one of their questions, we’d say so, we would find an answer, and get back to them with it; then we didn’t hound them. We gave them the information and waited for them to come back to us.”
After selecting IAM Union as their representative body, both sides entered an educational phase where organizers learned about working conditions faced by research laboratory staff—such as long hours and undervaluation—while also informing workers about labor rights.
“I’ve never worked at a place where I get along so well with my coworkers,” Poe stated. “I just saw management never listening to their good ideas, and I wanted to make them listen.”
“They needed our help,” said Tucker. “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 communicated regularly with both colleagues and IAM representatives through virtual meetings over two years.
“The committee was very resilient for two years,” Tucker said. “We met every other week in virtual meetings for two years… The committee was very dedicated… ran a full-scale outreach campaign… started their own communications.”
During this period, members established an identity under the name “Tempus Unio,” created a logo featuring a fist framed by DNA sequence imagery—reflecting both scientific focus and collective action—and educated themselves about labor law.
“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’.”
In its second year, efforts centered on gathering enough authorization cards for a union election while maintaining morale among members.
“Even if they did feel like somebody was scared… others would lift them up… There was such solidarity at an early stage…” Tucker recalled.
Tempus Unio became one of the first unions in the biotech sector when it voted for IAM representation in March 2024; by then 443 lab workers formed part of what became Local H1—the first healthcare unit chartered by IAM’s Midwest Territory.
“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…” Ulloa commented.
Lead negotiator Bill LePinske oversaw bargaining for the first contract: “We spent a lot of time in preparation,” he stated. “Everything was very well thought out…
I applaud the committee’s work away from the bargaining table… On both sides… 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—addressing core concerns around pay increases (10%–12.5% over three years), retroactive wage hikes starting February 24th 2025; wage protection clauses; annual stock issues; establishment of safety committees; grievance procedures; arbitration processes; improved paid leave rules; among other provisions supporting worker interests within biotech labs.
Tucker remained involved throughout negotiations: “We got a first contract in only eight bargaining sessions,” he reported. He praised committee dedication: “They spent a lot of their own time … made an extraordinary effort … benefit[ting] everybody.”
Ulloa added: “Securing the first contract without any sort of issues has sent a strong message throughout the labor movement … saying we are ready.”
The new local is formally called “Next Generation Local H1.” LePinske explained: “The name is symbolic … It signifies that they’re going to do things … more modern way … It’s reflection of [their] work … ‘Next Generation Sequencing’ or NGS … also signifies what they were trying accomplish…”
