The results from our Strike Authorization Vote (SAV) are in! Postdocs and Associate Researchers resoundingly support authorizing our Bargaining Committee to call a strike if necessary to reach a fair third contract.

  • 🗳️ A supermajority of CPW members voted and voted YES.
  • ☑️ 86% of CPW membership, 846 postdocs and Associate Researchers voted, the highest number of CPW members to vote in an SAV since we formed our union.
  • 🔥 90.2% of voters voted YES (763 votes).
  • 📝 58 non-member postdocs and ARSs filled out support forms for the strike authorization, bringing the total number ready to support a strike to reach a fair contract to 821, more than 50% of all postdocs and ARSs.

Our SAV sends a clear message to the Columbia administration: we do not wish to strike, but if they continue to stonewall a fair contract, we will grind the research functions of the University to a halt if necessary. Not only do we provide the bulk of Columbia’s research labor that makes it a world class research institution, we also secure the funding that makes this research possible. Now is the time for the administration to meet our reasonable demands for dignified compensation, guaranteed maximum length DS-2019 for international workers, the enhancement of the hardship fund and childcare support, housing stipends, stronger protections for one year appointments, adequate notice for contract renewal, and the ability to directly bring cases of discrimination and harassment to a neutral third-party arbitrator. These would all make Columbia more stable, equitable and competitive, and would be easy for the University to afford (see flyer below).

Let’s take a look at how we got here:

  • We began negotiations for this contract with management nearly five months ago. To date, they have refused to make meaningful movement on our priorities and have even demanded concessions from our union. Their proposed minimum salaries and annual raises are effective pay cuts accounting for inflation while the majority of postdocs at Weill Cornell and Mount Sinai now earn salaries above $80,000. The administration also wants to introduce new limits to our unused vacation payouts.
  • Worse still, management continues to violate labor law and commit unfair labor practices (ULP), most notably withholding information on our bargaining unit members that is critical for our union to represent them.1 2 3

We are holding a Unit Membership Meeting this Thursday, August 27th at 5pm to discuss next steps now that we voted yes to authorize a strike. We will discuss how to demonstrate to Columbia’s Administrators that we will not stop unless they meet our demands for a fair third contract and which actions to take next. RSVP here to join.

Our next scheduled Bargaining Session is Monday, August 24th, from 1pm to 5pm. Please click here to RSVP for the session.

In solidarity,

CPW-UAW 4100 Organizing Committee
CPW-UAW 4100 Bargaining Committee