2019-2020 Contract Negotiations

This email is to remind you that on Thursday, January 18th at 6:30 pm we will have our dedicated membership meeting to discuss and vote on whether to create an amalgamated union by joining with the Mt. Sinai postdocs. This vote is regulated by the UAW Constitution and will be in person at this dedicated meeting, so attendance is encouraged. As the Executive Board of CPW 4100, we also want to express our support on amalgamating and our recommendation of a YES vote on the amalgamation vote.

Our recommendation on this vote is informed by our understanding of what is best for our local and our members here at Columbia, our history working with other union campaigns across the city, including at Mt. Sinai, and our broader goals for building collective power in academia and setting higher standards for postdocs and researchers across academia.

At the local level, we believe that becoming an amalgamated union will provide greater resources and operational stability for continuing as a self-sustaining local for a strong future. By having a larger membership and dues pool, and by sharing responsibilities for management of our organization (which takes up a great deal of the Executive Board’s time), becoming an amalgamated union puts us in a stronger position to support our day to day operations. Our experience thus far has emphasized to us the need for continuity in resources for organizing and bargaining, and that we always benefit from more postdocs willing to participate.

At the city level, since we formed the first postdoc union at a private university in 2020, NYC has become a hotbed for postdoctoral research unions. Throughout this process, Columbia Postdocs & ARSs have supported new campaigns in the city, including Mt. Sinai, who are now the second private university with a union contract for postdocs. Within and across our locals, we have run successful contract campaigns, unifying postdocs across campuses and fields of research, addressing our shared issues, and we will continue to do so. We have also seen how our employers coordinate – engaging the same tactics against us, which we learn from each other how to counter, and matching each other’s offers, such that a win for one of us is often a win for all of us – emphasizing our shared fights and the benefits of working together. It is through this history of collaboration and solidarity that we know we can work together productively in service of the shared goals of ensuring fair working environments for postdocs across the city.

Beyond New York City, academia is in an exciting time as workers are recognizing our rights and turning to unions to protect them. In considering what comes next, we are also acutely aware of the issues beyond the scope of any single employer that affect our day to day working lives – be it standards of academic training and mentorship, policies relating to fellowships and employment, or the availability of grant opportunities and funding policies. While these topics go beyond individual employers and contracts, they are issues that can begin to be tackled by continuing to develop and deploy collective power and resources through dedicated and sustained campaigns across the sector that work to demand and protect higher standards for all researchers and postdocs that we can better engage in as an amalgamated.

In making this recommendation, we also want to re-emphasize several key points:

• Where we see the benefits of the broader structure of an amalgamated, on the ground operations at Columbia will remain largely consistent, as we would maintain our own organizing committee, stewards, grievance process, meetings, and campaigns. All decisions that are specific to Columbia will be decided solely by Columbia postdocs and ARSs.
• Columbia and Mount Sinai postdocs/ARSs will continue to have separate contracts, each with their respective employer. This would not change anything about our current contracts. Future contracts will be negotiated independently by bargaining committees elected separately from each institution.
• In the case of an amalgamated union, we will update our bylaws to formalize the operation of the amalgamated and to ensure representation for all workers in the Local.

Collectively, we believe an amalgamated union offers the structure whereby our local campaigns and issues will be strengthened by the resources and stability of a larger structure, which will formalize our collaborations across the city, and contribute to the broader project of fighting for just employment for all researchers. It is with this in mind that we endorse a YES vote on the decision of whether to form an amalgamated union.We are looking forward to a vibrant discussion on Thursday about the pros and cons of amalgamation, and urge you all to participate. Please let us know what information you would find helpful in voting on this topic in advance of the January 18th meeting – you can share any questions or thoughts on this form and check our FAQs to learn more.

In Solidarity,

CPW-UAW Executive Board

On January 18th, at 6:30 pm we will have a special meeting – in person and zoom – to discuss and vote on the topic of amalgamating (merging) our local with the postdocs at Mt. Sinai. 

✅RSVP to attend the membership meeting on 01/18 @ 6:30pm! ✅

❓❓Have questions about amalgamation? Submit them HERE ❓❓

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

On January 18th, at 6:30 pm we will have a special meeting – in person and zoom – to discuss and vote on the topic of amalgamating (merging) our local with the postdocs at Mt. Sinai. 

✅RSVP to attend the membership meeting on 01/18 @ 6:30pm! ✅

❓❓Have questions about amalgamation? Submit them HERE ❓❓

The Topic:

Our colleagues at Mt Sinai have reached an agreement on their first contract, meaning they are now ready to formalize their union, and they have voted that they want to join us to form an amalgamated local. As was announced and discussed at our previous membership meeting, we now have the option of creating an amalgamated union – meaning a single union which includes workers from multiple different employers. Our meeting on the 18th will be to discuss this topic, and then take a vote.

An overview of amalgamating:

Some quick notes on what it would look like if we form an amalgamated union:

• Columbia postdocs/ARSs will maintain our own organizing and bargaining committees, and will negotiate our own contract which will still cover only workers at Columbia.
• In forming the amalgamated union, we would update our bylaws to amend and decide on any new rules for how the union operates. In terms of daily operations, it will still be Columbia members who manage our daily operations (organizing, bargaining, grievances) and any decisions related to our members and employer.
• The amalgamated union would have a single Executive Board, who oversee the overall union, in terms of topics such as finances, staffing, etc. In addition to the Executive Board, the amalgamated union would form a joint council, which is made up of elected members, proportionally representing each component group. In terms of numbers, note that our contract covers approximately 1600 workers, whereas Sinai’s has approximately 500.
• Being a larger union with more members, and dues, the amalgamated unit would have greater resources for managing its operations and pursuing our goals.

Academic Organizing

The Columbia Postdoctoral Workers, UAW local 4100, is the first postdoc union at a private university in the US. In being the first, we had to create and define the path for being an organized union at our kind of employer and learn how to create a new local. Following our lead, Mt. Sinai is now the second private university with a union contract for postdocs. We have been working with and supporting the Mt. Sinai postdoctoral workers in their union campaign, and will continue to do so. At this exciting junction in academic organizing, we now face the question of how to coordinate and organize sectoral power moving forward.

Questions, Comments, Concerns?

Have questions? Submit them HERE.

We welcome and encourage questions about this process and what it would mean to amalgamate, or what it would mean to choose not to. For logistical questions on this process, Brandon Mancilla, our regional director, and Reisy Veloz, our servicing representative (who were at our last membership meeting) are supporting us through this process. We have also reached out to members of other unions who are amalgamated to answer questions and give insight into their experiences in amalgamated unions. Please submit any questions HERE. We will collect all questions, solicit and organize answers, and make all of this available to all members prior to the January 18th meeting.

The Vote:

In practice, whether to amalgamate will be decided by a vote of the membership from both our union and postdocs at Mt. Sinai. If a majority of voting members vote YES to becoming an amalgamated, we will proceed with amalgamating. If the result is no we continue as a single-employer union, and Mt. Sinai will form their own separate and independent local.

Wrap Up & Forthcoming Follow Ups

We hope everyone gets a chance to engage in this topic and vote on this important issue for the future of our union. As members of the executive board, and organizers, we have been discussing the topic of amalgamating and what it would mean for our local, as well as discussing this with our colleagues at Mt. Sinai. We will follow up with more information as well as our thoughts on this process soon!

In solidarity,

Executive & Organizing Committees

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

Reminders:

• Tonight: Morningside 🥳 Winter Social 🎉 Tuesday Dec 12th, 5pm onwards in Fairchild Room 700 [RSVP LINK]. Join to celebrate, meet the new officers, eat, drink and enjoy some time with fellow union members.
• Our December Membership Meeting will be Thursday Dec 14th @ 6:30 pm! We will decide on creating a combined union (“amalgamated”) of postdocs with Mount Sinai. Brandon Mancilla, our Regional Director, will join for the discussion [RSVP LINK]
• Our CUMC Winter Social is Monday Dec 18th @ 5pm onwards in P&S 12-460 [RSVP LINK].
• Join Mount Sinai Postdoc’s strike [LINK] picket lines in solidarity, 9am to 5pm daily on Madison Ave between 99th and 100th Streets.

Steward Election Results

The deadline to accept steward nominations closed last Monday, December 11th at 11:59 PM EST. All positions were unopposed, we can announce the following winners of their districts by acclamation:

Manhattanville: Isabel Low

MS 1: Martin Lockman

MS 2: Jatan Buch and Luca Kolibius

CUMC 1: Oakley Olson and Syed Bukhari

CUMC 2: Brian Joseph and Genevieve Dobihal

CUMC 3: Laura Xicota

CUMC 4: Anna Yoney

CUMC 6: Sergey Pampou and Josue Navarro

CUMC 7: Marco Miotto and Rachel Gonzalez

Executive Board Election Results

The deadline to accept executive board nominations also closed last Monday, December 11th at 11:59 PM EST. All positions were unopposed, we can announce the following winners of their positions by acclamation:

President: Cora Bergantinos-Crespo

Vice President: Thomas Donoghue

Financial Secretary: Thiago Arzua

Trustee: Conor Bacon

Trustee: Elsy El Khoury

Sergeant at Arms: Panos Oikonomou

Guide: Sherida de Leeuw

In solidarity,

CPW-UAW Elections Committee

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

Key scheduling points:

• Join Mount Sinai Postdoc’s strike picket lines in solidarity, 9am to 5pm daily on Madison Ave between 99th and 100th Streets. Today, we are attending at noon! Reply to this email if you can join and donate to their strike hardship fund.
• Our Morningside Winter Social is Dec 12th, 5pm onwards in Fairchild Room 700 >> RSVP
• Our December membership meeting will be Dec 14th @ 6:30 pm! Agenda & info below! >> RSVP
• Our CUMC Social is Dec 18th @ 5pm onwards in P&S 12-460 >> RSVP

Here are some key items for the membership meeting agenda:

Discussing the potential amalgamation with the Mt. Sinai postdocs:

• Columbia Postdocs have supported Mount Sinai postdocs while they were forming a union, and our campaigns have coordinated closely on our contract campaigns.
• Mt. Sinai postdocs (SPOC) continue to bargain their first contract and are currently ON STRIKE!
• Once they have a contract, they will formalize their union. Our region (UAW 9A) has asked that we consider joining together with SPOC to create a combined (‘amalgamated’) union of postdocs.
• We will discuss and vote on this topic – here are some details on this process.

Contract Implementation: Updates on raises and lump sum payments

• New Committees: Forming new committees to help with setting up the Hardship Fund, representing International Workers Issues, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, and additionally a Civil and Human Rights committee. Sign up here if you are interested!

A financial motion to hire legal counsel to help with negotiating a contract with our Local’s staff:

• As previously mentioned, our staff member is part of a union representing other UAW international and local staff. Bargaining is ongoing (see demands HERE), for a contract that will cover our Local’s staff, meaning our Local is on the ‘management’ side of this process.
• This bargaining process requires time & resources. We can hire legal counsel to assist with this, which would cost ~$300/hour, likely for several hours per month.

Our Union Local has ongoing elections! Don’t forget to nominate yourself for steward and Executive board positions. The deadline is Monday December 11th 11:59pm. Check here for more details.

Come join your union colleagues to celebrate the season and our recently won contract with some fun and camaraderie! At two different locations:

Morningside Campus – Fairchild, Room 700 – Tuesday Dec 12th

CUMC Campus – P&S, Room 12-460 – Monday Dec 18th

Both from 5pm onwards!

RSVP HERE!

In solidarity,

Executive & Organizing Committees

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

Thanks to our collective efforts we have a new 3 year union contract! What happens now? In this email we will overview what is happening, what happens next, contract implementation, campaigning for ongoing topics, and our current membership drive! 

🗓️💫First, a quick update on things happening this month:

• Our December membership meeting will be Dec 14th @ 6:30 pm! A key agenda item will be discussing the potential amalgamation with the Mt. Sinai postdocs!
• Save the date for our winter socials – December 12th on Morningside campus & December 18th at CUIMC!
• Union local elections ongoing! Check here for more details

🏆🎉Key Victories Of Our Union Contract

There are numerous victories in our contract, please read through to make sure you have access to all the benefits. Here some highlights and information about implementation: 

⏳Status:

• Signing bonus of $1200 – all current employees should already have received this in your latest paycheck! If you are missing this payment write to postdocunion@uaw4100.org
• Salary raises: effective as of November 1st – but have not yet been processed by HR. You should see these updated in your paychecks of December 15 or December31/January 1, with backpay to Nov 1st. 
• Improved rights for fellows: If you are interested in this topic sign up to the Fellows working group. 
• International employees: this benefit is in effect! If you are traveling for visa reasons, reach your department HR and email us at postdocunion@uaw4100.org if you want some help.
• Hardship fund: will be available as of January 1st, 2024. Some members interested in discussing which regulations we want in place will meet on Monday at noon RSVP or send us feedback here.

✊The Fight Continues For Future Improvements  

Our union, as all unions, is an organization focused on ongoing support and campaigns to further rights, at the bargaining table and as well as outside it. The fight for better working conditions continues through assertive contract enforcement and continued organizing on topics, like childcare, back payments or the housing stipend. Sign up in our working groups if you are interested in organizing around these topics (or propose any other).

Columbia did not want to commit central money for our contract implementation, but the faculty at Columbia is circulating this letter requesting them to do so. We want to continue supporting this fight for more institutional support from Columbia to its core missions! Email us at postodocunion@uaw4100.org if you want to help.

💥Join the majority and support your union by becoming a member!💥

Throughout our contract campaign a majority of postdocs and ARSs have chosen to become union members which gave us the power to win all these improvements. Growing our membership even more will help a robust contract implementation, campaigning on additional topics, and building strength for future contracts

Sign up here to become a member and join the majority of us building a better Columbia for all postdocs and ARSs

(to decline membership you are required to indicate in the same link and contribute a comparable fair share fee for all of us to share the cost of negotiations and representation) 

These are some of the perks of union membership:  

📣1.- enables us to have a powerful voice as Postdocs and ARSs at Columbia and beyond. Our collective power demonstrated that when we advocate for our rights, we have the ability to protect ourselves and enforce our values.

🪧2.- makes our Union more democratic and inclusive, since membership gives you the right to take part in the Union’s governance through elections, working groups, committees and other processes, including and how to spend our financial resources. For your voice to be heard, it is in your best interest that you become a Union member. 
🌍3.- you will be joining a broader movement of postdocs and academic researchers who are unionizing across NYC and the country to improve conditions of researchers in academia.

Lasty, again these achievements reflect that when we work together to defend our rights, we win. We thank each and every one of you who talked to co-workers, attended rallies, pickets, bargaining sessions and overall for the strong solidarity across disciplines, departments, campuses… Together, we have achieved significant improvements not only for us at Columbia but also set the bar for other postdocs in the city on the path of unionization (like Cornell, Mt. Sinai, Princeton, NYU). 

As aforementioned, the fight goes on. Keep an eye out for further updates, so you can have an impact in the processes of attaining our demands!

Together, we are stronger.

In solidarity,

Bargaining & Organizing Committees 

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

November 27, 2023

Nominations are hereby declared open on November 27, 2023 for the CPW-UAW Steward [17 positions], President, Vicepresident , Financial Secretary, Trustee [2], Seargant at Arms and Guide in the Executive Board [7 position]:

Stewards (17 positions):

• Click here to see the open positions per district.

Executive Board (7 position):

• President
• Vice President
• Financial Secretary
• Trustee
• Trustee
• Sergeant at Arms
• Guide

All unit members having signed a CPW-UAW membership card and meeting the eligibility criteria, as outlined in Article 15 of the CPW-UAW Local 4100 bylaws, are automatically considered nominees for positions on the Executive Board and as stewards in their respective districts. In accordance with the bylaws, eligibility requirements for candidates are as follows: candidates for the Executive Board must have maintained continuous good standing for a period of one (1) year preceding the acceptance of nomination, while candidates for the steward position must have maintained continuous good standing for a period of ninety (90) days prior to accepting nomination.

Membership Eligibility Description (per the bylaws): 

Membership in this Local Union shall be extended to all employees who have at any time been under titles that come under the jurisdiction of this Local Union. Membership shall be defined as members in good standing as defined in the International Constitution. 

CPW-UAW has 24 steward positions, broken up into districts. For this election there are 17 open steward positions and 7 open executive board positions. Each district is a campus, building/s, or lab where postdoctoral academic workers are working. For every 75 workers in a district, one steward will be elected. To learn more about the responsibilities of the stewards, visit the UAW constitution (Article 45) and our Local Bylaws (Article 10). 

Any eligible member in good standing who wishes to accept the nomination for one of the Executive board or steward positions in their district must indicate their intention, in writing, including the position they wish to run for. You can only run for one position. The acceptance of your nomination in writing must be submitted no later than December 11th 11:59pm EST. Submit your acceptance to the CPW-UAW Elections committee by emailing cpwuawelections@gmail.com. If you have questions about which district you belong to, please reach out to the Elections committee at cpwuawelections@gmail.com. 

Steward District Map 

Click here to view the District Map, which shows the breakdown of the number of stewards per Steward District. 

Positions on the Executive Board

The Executive Board positions are elected for a term expiring in November 2026. Officers are allowed to vacate their positions before the end of their terms, in which case the Elections Committee would hold a vacancy election. Click here to read more about the responsibilities of the Executive Board Officer positions.

Candidate Statements (Optional)

Each candidate may write and submit a candidate statement of no more than 250 words. These statements will be posted on the CPW-UAW website if there are contested elections. Your mailing address, phone number, and personal email address must be included, but will not be counted toward the 250 words. 

It is the responsibility of the candidate to submit the candidate statement, if they choose to have one. All candidate statements must be received by the time nominations close on December 11th at 11:59pm EST.

Candidates Meeting 

Following the close of nominations, all candidates in contested districts will meet with the Elections Committee via Zoom. This meeting will determine the order of names on the ballot and the method of mass communications, and address other concerns any candidate may have. This meeting will take place following the close of nominations, but before ballots are sent to members. 

Election Dates, Times and Locations

In the event that the number of eligible candidates who accept nomination for the specified position do not exceed the number of vacant positions, such candidates will be deemed elected by acclamation and no election will be held. 

If there are contested positions, elections will take place online from January 8th to January 12th . If you are a member of the union, you will receive a ballot in your email and text messages once voting begins. If you wish to participate, you will need to sign a membership card and join the union. 

• Election Location: Online
• Election Start Date: Monday, January 8th at 9:00am EST
• Election End Date: Friday, January 12th at 11:59pm EST

A runoff election, if necessary, will be held at a future date. The details will be announced if necessary. 

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

The vote on whether our union should adopt this statement on Columbia University’s response to the situation in Gaza, which was proposed by some members at our November membership meeting, has concluded as of 12:00pm today. Postdocs and Associate Researchers at Columbia University cast a total of 284 ballots. Union members voted with a plurality of 48.3% to not have the union endorse the drafted statement on Gaza.

Members voted as follows:

• 41% Voted in favor of adopting the statement 
• 48.3% Voted against adopting the statement
• 10.7% Voted to abstain 

In solidarity,

CPW-UAW Elections Committee

Message from the Executive Board

We understand that some of you may be disappointed with these recent results. As a relatively young Local, we acknowledge that we are still learning how to conduct difficult conversations. 

During our latest membership meetings, members expressed their commitment to establishing the Civil and Human Rights Committee. This committee aims to foster discussions, bringing together members of our Local, from various countries and cultures who share a common passion for science and research. The committee will focus on exploring how researchers in academia can contribute to promoting peace, social justice, and human rights in our community and at large. 

We invite any interested members to sign up to participate in these important discussions and contribute to the work of the Civil and Human Rights Committee. Your involvement will play a crucial role in shaping the future of our Local and advancing our shared goals.

We want to emphasize that, as a democratic organization, every member has the right to propose initiatives to enhance our Local. Whether it’s suggesting amendments to the bylaws (Article 21), proposing discussions or votes at membership meetings, or suggesting the formation of new working groups and committees, your input is crucial to our collective growth. This is particularly relevant as we approach elections for several positions in our Executive Board and stewards.

Your union is shaped by all of us collectively, and we encourage each member to be aware of their rights and actively engage in the democratic processes that guide our organization.

Thank you for your continued dedication to our union. Together, we can create a stronger, more inclusive community that reflects the diverse perspectives and experiences of all our members.

In Solidarity, 

CPW-UAW Executive Board

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

This is a reminder about the vote on whether to accept or reject this statement on Columbia University’s response to the situation in Gaza. Voting will close tomorrow Wednesday at noon (12pm). We have received communication that several members did not receive the link to vote. Please, forward this email to your colleagues to make sure they have the chance to participate. 

The vote is a secret ballot and only the two postdocs elected to the Elections Committee will have access to the results and will provide summaries of the votes. No other postdocs/ARSs will see how you voted.
Please, follow this link to vote: Yes, No or Abstain. For the statement to be endorsed it must receive a majority (50+1%) yes vote out of the total votes cast.

VOTE HERE!

The Vote will close on Wednesday November 22nd at 12 PM (noon)

Addressing concerns raised by members about the process: 

As Executive Board of the local we want to be transparent about  the shortcomings in which this discussion and vote has been conducted. As a young union (only three years old) we have only limited experience and resources to handle discussions on difficult topics. It is incredibly important, and we deeply appreciate everyone who has shared thoughts as we try to learn together how to better take democratic decisions in our Union. 

We want to bring to your attention that several members submitted amendments in good faith assuming that they would be discussed before a vote at the membership meeting last Thursday. The Executive Board did not write nor manage the feedback process for the statement – including the Google Form requesting amendments emailed on November 15. Over the past two weeks, Eboard members have been catching up on research, addressing issues arising from the new contract, fulfilling legal obligations of the local, and attending to members’ workplace concerns – all issues that were temporarily set aside during contract negotiations-. This must not serve as an excuse, but just an explanation. Upon receiving the request from members to discuss this matter – which is every union member’s right – we provided the platform to do so. However, we recognize that we have been hands-off in a process that should have been overseen, and this was a misstep on our part. We sincerely apologize.

We acknowledge that as elected members, the Executive Board bears the responsibility of ensuring all voices are heard. We hope this experience serves the Local to learn and improve future discussions.

In solidarity, 

CPW-UAW Executive Board

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

This is a correction of the previous email regarding the length of the vote. The vote will last 3 working days (not calendar days as stated in the previous email). Therefore the vote will close on Wednesday November 22nd at 12pm (noon). See more details below.

At our membership meeting yesterday members decided to put the following statement regarding Columbia University’s response to the situation in Gaza for an online vote for 3 days. Only votes of members will be considered.

Please, follow this link to vote: Yes, No or Abstain whether our union should adopt the statement regarding Columbia University’s response to the situation in Gaza.

VOTE HERE!

The Vote will close on Wednesday November 22nd at 12 PM (noon)

At our membership meeting yesterday members decided to put the following statement  regarding Columbia University’s response to the situation in Gaza for an online vote for 3 days. Only votes of members will be considered. 

Please, follow this link to vote: Yes, No or Abstain whether our union should adopt the following statement regarding the situation in Gaza. 

VOTE HERE!

The Vote will close on Sunday November 12th at 11:59pm

In solidarity, 

Executive Board and Organizing committee

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.

You should receive the $1,200 lump sum bonus on your paycheck for Nov 15th or, if you are a Fellow, in a special paycheck for November 17th. Please reach out if you can’t see it! 

Remember that our November membership meeting is tomorrow, Thursday 11/16/23 at 6:30pm both in person (CUMC, Morningside or Zuckerman Institute) and zoom. 

RSVP here to attend in person or zoom

We will have our Finance and Executive Board reports (including updates on contract implementation) and an announcement from the Elections Committee about elections for the Executive Board and stewards positions in our Local. 

In addition, some members want to present this statement regarding the situation in Gaza to discuss and vote whether our Local should endorse it. In order to conduct the discussion and vote in a productive manner we propose the following structure (but remember that as a member you can propose an alternative at the beginning of the meeting)

• Please, read the statement before the meeting.
• We will start with a reading of the statement followed by 10 min of members speaking in favor and against the statement.
  • If you want to speak, feel free to prepare 30 seconds of points. Not everyone will be able to speak unless we all vote to lengthen the meeting. 
• You can propose changes/deletions/additions (amendments) to the statement or you can propose an alternative statement.
  • All proposed changes and/or alternative statements will be considered and voted by members at the meeting and if approved the final statement that will be put for a vote will be the amended one. 
• At the meeting you can also propose alternative ways of voting. 

You can submit any changes you’d like into this form for consideration and vote of members at the meeting.

• At the meeting we will vote yes/no/abstain on the motion made by members to put the statement to a vote by all union members via an online form over the course of 3 days. Voting in favor of putting the statement to a vote is NOT a vote to endorse the statement. For example,
  • You can vote in favor of opening the online vote and then vote online against endorsing the statement. 
  • You can vote against putting the statement for a vote and, if members agree to put it to a vote, still vote in favor of the statement. 
  • You can Abstain from the initial vote, and still decide to vote for or against the statement if it ends up going to a vote.

In order to conduct our meeting in an orderly fashion we will follow parliamentary rules (or Robert rules of order). You can find a cheat sheet here. However, remember that if you want to propose anything at the meeting and don’t know how we are all there to help.

In solidarity, 

Executive Board and Organizing committee

HAVE AN ISSUE? GET IN CONTACT!

Want to stay informed? Check out our website and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and join our and Slack​.