Graduate Student Workers at Columbia University Set Strike Deadline

During GWC-UAW Local 2110's strike in April, over 1,500 graduate workers withdrew their labor and marched on the picket lines, and when the strike ended, they knew what their next steps would be. They continued organizing over the summer and vowed to escalate in the fall, prepared to strike again until Columbia respects their labor, their rights as workers, and their democratic election, and agrees to negotiate a contract. Despite nine private universities agreeing to bargain with their graduate workers—including contracts won at Brandeis, Tufts, and New York University and contract negotiations underway at Harvard University and The New School—Columbia continues to stand on the wrong side of history.

The GWC-UAW this week sent President Bollinger a letter demanding that the university declare its intention to bargain by 5:00 pm on November 30. If the university continues to defy both labor law and the democratic voice of its workers and does not agree to bargain by that date, members will go on strike on December 4. Read GWC-UAW/s letter here!