It has been a distressing few weeks for the Columbia community, especially at the Morningside campus. Since last week, Tuesday April 30th, our members have been unilaterally locked out of their lab and office spaces at Morningside campus – with hours notice and unclear communication. Some workers have regained access since Friday May 3rd, but many still lack access. These harsh impositions have forced postdocs to scramble to perform their work, especially as police and media outlets have descended on campus. To address this labor issue we need to act together. 

If you have work duties necessitating access to your lab or office space, and have had your access denied at any time, or are still denied access and cannot do your work, please fill out this Google Form. In addition, the excessive screening and presence of public safety officers and NYPD officers can be intimidating. If you experience any situation that results in a hostile work environment or intimidating atmosphere, please reach out to the central account. 

Now is a good time to connect with other postdocs or workers to talk about the importance of our labor rights. In line with this, the graduate student union (SWC) is organizing a rally every day from 1-2PM at West 116 and Amsterdam Ave. A group of postdocs have already committed to attending the rallies; RSVP here to join our group. 

We join this rally not just to stand in solidarity with the SWC graduate and undergraduate students who have been arrested or who have had their free speech infringed upon – by standing up at this rally we are standing up for our own right to speak freely and for our own rights as workers; an attack on the rights of any of us is an attack on the rights of all of us. 

These are unusual and unpredictable times, but as a collective we can protect one another from labor rights violations and stand up for the workplace and environment we deserve. 

In solidarity,
CPW Organizing Committee

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