Welcome! At this site you will find information and updates pertaining to Columbia University’s current contract negotiations with the Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers, Local 2710, union (SWC).
The University is committed to fostering a learning, living, and working environment of mutual respect, support, and care for all members of our community. The University’s goal is to finalize a fair, competitive, and sustainable contract that builds upon the first agreement overwhelmingly ratified by SWC membership in January 2022 and, importantly, aligns with the University’s commitment to academic excellence and reflects our student employees’ contributions to our mission. The University is committed to good-faith, productive bargaining with SWC that results in an agreement that supports both the needs of our student employees and the entire Columbia community.
Bargaining Updates
July 9, 2026
The seventeenth bargaining session saw some movement, although several of the union’s outstanding proposals improperly continue to address academic and operational matters in contravention of the Framework Agreement, and the parties remain far apart on all remaining major elements of a labor contract.
June 16, 2026
At the sixteenth bargaining session, the University and SWC exchanged and discussed various proposals. The union’s demands continue to implicate academic matters in violation of the Framework Agreement, and the parties remain far apart on all major remaining issues.
June 3, 2026
The fifteenth bargaining session saw minor movement, but no substantial progress was made, and the parties remain far apart.
Faculty & Community Updates
March 25, 2026
As we approach the one-year mark in negotiations with the Student Workers of Columbia union (SWC) for a successor contract, it is time to step back and reflect on where we stand.
March 13, 2026
The Student Workers of Columbia union (SWC) has announced that it has received authorization from its members to call a strike after holding a strike authorization vote. To be clear, no strike has been called at this time. We are disappointed that SWC has already chosen to hold a strike authorization vote and are hopeful that SWC will refocus its efforts on making progress at the bargaining table.
February 4, 2026
By repudiating the Framework Agreement and its essential boundaries between employment matters, which are subject to bargaining, and academic and operational matters that are not, SWC is contesting our faculty's control over academic decisions and the University's responsibility for its operations.
Frequently Asked Questions
To be clear, a strike authorization vote is not the same as a vote to strike or a guarantee that the union will strike. Instead, a strike authorization vote is a procedural step that, if approved, would give the union the authority to call a strike at a future date if its leadership decides to do so. Only union members may participate in a strike authorization vote.
No. Student employees, whether or not dues-paying members of the union, can each decide for themselves whether to participate in a strike or to continue working. Federal law protects a unionized employee who chooses to work during a strike.
No. While we value our student employees and respect their right to engage in protected union activity, including a lawful strike, student employees who choose to strike and do not perform their work will not be paid. Strikers should not expect to receive back pay from the University for appointed work not performed as part of the strike. Strikers cannot use vacation, sick leave, or personal leave during a strike unless it was previously approved by the department/school prior to the strike authorization vote.
Relevant Bargaining Documents
Overview of SWC Demands (As of March 2026)
March 25, 2026
University Proposals:
Scheduled Session 6
June 9, 2025
University Proposals:
Scheduled Session 5
May 9, 2025