Bargaining Session 13
On Monday, May 4, the University and the Student Workers of Columbia union (SWC) met for a thirteenth bargaining session, in person at the Interchurch Center, to continue negotiating the terms of the union’s successor contract.
During the session, the University presented a revised counterproposal on International Student Employees. SWC put forward revised counterproposals on Union Management Committee, Transitional Funding, Child Care, and Holidays. On Transitional Funding, which is a permissive subject that is not required to be negotiated as part of a contract because it covers students in their role as students, the University made clear that it would only agree to the side letter from the prior contract and rejected the union’s proposal. The parties discussed the revised counterproposals and SWC’s Appointments proposal from the February 27, 2026 session. The University explained that many of the union’s Appointments demands are inappropriate because they would insert the union into academic decisions.
The University again noted the large number of union proposals the University has rejected, either because they would infringe faculty and University authority over academic or operational matters, in violation of the Framework Agreement, or are not appropriate for a labor agreement because they address student-focused or university-wide issues unrelated to or well beyond student employment matters. The University asked SWC if it would withdraw any of these proposals so that the parties could move on to negotiating core economic issues like compensation and benefits. The union declined.
These discussions did not substantially move the parties toward any agreements, and the University and SWC remain far apart on all remaining major issues
As previously agreed, the parties will meet again on May 12, in person at Interchurch. The parties are also discussing dates for additional bargaining sessions over the summer, and the University is checking availability at Interchurch for those meetings.
The University remains committed to reaching a fair, competitive, and sustainable agreement with SWC that benefits all of our student employees and the entire Columbia community.