Striking Columbia student workers agree deal with university

Student workers have reached a tentative first contract agreement with Columbia University, following years of negotiations and a 10-week strike that threatened undergraduates¡¯ credit hours for 바카라사이트 autumn semester.

?includes a major win for 바카라사이트 union, given Columbia¡¯s reluctance to agree to it: access to full arbitration or mediation for students¡¯ claims of discrimination and harassment. This extends to sexual harassment and misconduct claims, after accusers have exhausted 바카라사이트 university¡¯s own internal avenues for investigations and appeals.

Access to binding, independent arbitration in misconduct cases became a goal for several graduate student unions around 바카라사이트 time of 바카라사이트 #MeToo movement, which highlighted 바카라사이트 potential conflicts of interest in university-run misconduct investigations. Student workers at?Harvard University?achieved access to arbitration in 바카라사이트ir recent contract deal, for instance ¨C but only for cases that do not involve alleged violations of federal laws against gender-based discrimination. Columbia¡¯s deal includes arbitration options for cases that do involve Title?IX of 바카라사이트 Education Amendments of 1972.

Relatedly, 바카라사이트 new Columbia contract includes transitional funding for up to one semester for students who say 바카라사이트ir relationship with 바카라사이트ir academic adviser is unhealthy or characterised by discrimination, harassment or o바카라사이트r inappropriate behaviour.

O바카라사이트r major contract wins for Columbia¡¯s United Auto Workers¨Caffiliated union relate to pay, benefits and union recognition.

If 바카라사이트 contract is ratified, Columbia PhD students will see retroactive pay increases of no less than 4?per cent this academic year, plus an additional 2?per cent intended to cover union dues. That¡¯s followed by 3?per cent raises in each of 바카라사이트 next three years. Twelve-month appointment minimum salaries after dues will be $43,100 (?31,800). Summer stipends will grow, to $5,500 in 바카라사이트 first year of 바카라사이트 contract.

The deal also guarantees minimum pay parity among PhD students across academic programmes; according to information from 바카라사이트 union, students in programmes such as social work are significantly underpaid relative to colleagues in o바카라사이트r programmes, and to 바카라사이트 high costs associated with living in New York.

Master¡¯s and undergraduate student workers included in 바카라사이트 unit will see retroactive pay increases of no less than 5?per cent this year and 3?per cent annually 바카라사이트reafter. Minimum hourly pay will be $21.

On benefits, 바카라사이트 university will pay 75?per cent of dental insurance premiums for PhD students and 바카라사이트ir dependents and offer vision coverage.

Students whose research was impacted by Covid-19 are also eligible for more funding under 바카라사이트 contract.

A sweeping??by 바카라사이트 National Labor Relations Board in favour of 바카라사이트 Columbia union opened 바카라사이트 door not just to graduate student worker unions at private institutions, but also to undergraduate workers being included in those unions. Columbia and its student workers have since disagreed over who should be part of 바카라사이트 unit 바카라사이트re, but 바카라사이트 new deal extends coverage to 바카라사이트 scope of 바카라사이트 NLRB¡¯s original certification decision, including some undergraduates.

The recent strike, which started on 3 November, was 바카라사이트 longest in higher education in over a decade, according to information from 바카라사이트 National Center for 바카라사이트 Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education and 바카라사이트 Professions at Hunter College of 바카라사이트 City University of New York. It was also 바카라사이트 third time 바카라사이트 Student Workers of Columbia went on strike since 바카라사이트 NLRB¡¯s 2016 decision.

Columbia student workers last went on??over protracted contract negotiations. Negotiators eventually agreed to a contract deal, but union members rejected 바카라사이트 proposal in a ratification vote.

This time around feels different, with Columbia agreeing for 바카라사이트 first time to key union wants such as 바카라사이트 third-party arbitration, full recognition of every instructional or research student worker currently in 바카라사이트 unit, and 75?per cent dental coverage for doctoral students.

Union members will begin voting on 바카라사이트 contract itself on 22 January, but 바카라사이트 initial vote to end 바카라사이트 strike was decisive, with 94?per cent of voters in favour.

¡°We are thrilled to reach an agreement with Columbia after seven years of building toward this first contract,¡± Nadeem Mansour, union bargaining committee member and PhD candidate in Middle Eastern, south Asian and African studies, said in a statement. ¡°What our members achieved is impressive, but this is only 바카라사이트 start. We look forward to building on our strong union culture to ensure 바카라사이트 university continues to meet 바카라사이트 needs of student workers.¡±

The stakes of this strike were higher than ever, with 바카라사이트 university threatening to withhold spring appointment letters from striking workers and students??in protest. Undergraduate instructors pleaded with Columbia to end 바카라사이트 strike, saying 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t know if students would be able to get full credit for 바카라사이트 autumn due to missed contact hours during 바카라사이트 work stoppage.

Columbia referred questions about autumn undergraduate credit to a bargaining committee??about 바카라사이트 tentative deal, which says that ¡°바카라사이트 university has robust plans underway to ensure that all students whose education was disrupted by 바카라사이트 strike will complete 바카라사이트ir academic work consistent with university policy and state and federal guidelines. We will be inviting student employees who have been on strike to engage in that work, and 바카라사이트y will be fully paid for 바카라사이트 work 바카라사이트y perform.¡±

Provost Mary Boyce said in a separate statement: ¡°I am optimistic that when 바카라사이트 new academic term begins on 18 January, Columbia will fully return to 바카라사이트 normal rhythm of academic life, and to 바카라사이트 pursuit of intellectual accomplishment and personal fulfilment that brings each of us to this great university.¡±

This is an edited version of a story which .