Update on Negotiations with SWC Union

Dear students, faculty and staff,

As most of you know, the collective bargaining agreement between the University and the Student Workers of Columbia union (SWC) expired on June 30, before an agreement on a successor contract could be reached. Prior to the contract’s expiration, the University had put forward to the union a full set of proposals, even though the union has not met with the University since our opening session in March or responded to any of these proposals. On July 10, the University offered to extend the now-lapsed contract for one year, with an immediate increase in compensation, while negotiations continue for a longer-term successor contract. This was a good-faith gesture intended to bring the union to the table on the substantive terms and conditions of employment that make up a labor contract.

The University’s extension proposal, which can be found here, would immediately implement the compensation offer it made in June by providing our PhD student employees with a competitive pay increase and pay parity between the nine-month and 12-month cohorts for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year. Additionally, had the union agreed to our offer by July 22, 2025, PhD students would have received an immediate adjustment to their summer 2025 compensation for July and August to match the proposed increases. The proposal also called for mediation facilitated by an independent outside party if the parties have not reached a successor agreement by the end of 2025— although the University also offered to initiate mediation immediately to help start the bargaining. Finally, it suggested a compromise regarding the attendance at bargaining of the union’s president—an expelled former student banned from campus—which had been a sticking point (more on this below).

We are disappointed that the SWC did not accept our proposal. Instead, the union provided a counterproposal for a three-month contract extension, expiring September 30, with no provisions for mediation at the start or end of the extension period. Before any real bargaining has taken place, the union conditioned this short extension on an immediate compensation increase of 4% for students on appointment, in a year when salaries across the University have been frozen. The union also made demands on subjects that are not required in a labor contract and would erode the University’s exclusive academic and operational authority over its educational and research mission.

A small minority of all of those represented by the SWC voted to reject the University’s extension proposal and to advance this counterproposal. Its approach stands in the way of immediate interim compensation increases for all student employees in favor of pressing unrealistic demands prior to any bargaining. Any significant proposals on bargainable issues would appropriately be reserved for discussion during actual negotiations toward a successor contract. The proposed three-month extension proposed by the union, which would expire on September 30, 2025, also preserves the union’s ability to disrupt undergraduate education and other University operations by engaging in a strike. The union has been openly discussing a strike to begin in October before even coming to the table.

We noted in the last update that the union’s “ground rules” specify open Zoom bargaining as a requirement, and the counterproposal continues to contain this demand. As explained before, the union’s insistence on Zoom is contrary to laws governing collective bargaining and is not conducive to developing the good-faith dynamics that characterize successful bargaining. Not only does the practice of in-person bargaining align with how Cornell, Harvard, Penn, and other universities conduct negotiations, it also promotes the development of trusting relationships; protects against doxing and mischaracterization of negotiations on social media and other forums; and encourages the candid and focused discussions most likely to produce an agreement in an efficient manner. We appreciate that the SWC has acknowledged the concerns the University has raised regarding recording, doxing, and security of negotiating via Zoom, yet the union continues to demand it as a precondition to bargaining.

The union also continues to condition bargaining on the participation of its president, a former student who was expelled and banned from campus under the disciplinary process specified in the Rules of University Conduct. Although the University does not have an obligation to bargain with this individual, in the spirit of advancing negotiations, the University informed the SWC of its willingness to have the expelled student attend the in-person negotiations as an observer at a neutral off-campus location, provided that the former student withdraws a grievance regarding access to campus. The union declined.

The University is encouraged that the SWC, in communicating its counterproposal, has expressed a willingness to come to the table for the first time since these negotiations began. The University has asked the union to reconsider the University’s extension proposal to provide student employees immediate compensation increases and other support while extending the contract for one year to give the parties time to work out a long-term deal. If the union agrees to the extension by August 1, 2025, the University will implement the increased compensation as of July 1, 2025. The University also has offered dates in July and August to resume in-person negotiations with a reasonable number of in-person observers, and it has urged the union to agree to the immediate assistance of a mediator.

Through these efforts, the University has demonstrated its commitment to working with the SWC to reach an agreement as quickly as possible on a fair and competitive successor contract that serves all students and the whole Columbia community. It is our sincere hope that the union will agree to extend the prior contract for a meaningful period and engage in productive discussions on the comprehensive set of proposals the University has made.

We will continue to keep our community informed as this situation develops. Additional updates and information are available under the Current Negotiations tab of our Student Benefits website.

Sincerely,

Amy Hungerford
Dean and Executive Vice President, Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Cas Holloway
Chief Operating Officer