10/22/25 SWC schedules bargaining session for 11/7 at 1pm at Sockman Lounge in Interchurch Center
Columbia has finally agreed to meet our Bargaining Committee and face their workers on November 7th at 1pm in Sockman Lounge at the Interchurch Center. Sockman Lounge has a capacity of up to 170 people to accommodate in-person observers from SWC membership and both negotiations teams. Members can RSVP to attend here.
Columbia did not come to the table willingly. But we stood firm and took actions to force the university to honor its legal obligations:
On Monday, October 6th, Columbia refused to attend bargaining at the agreed-upon time at a location that meets the needs of both teams. This is after Columbia lied about space availability in an attempt to force us to meet in a small conference room that barely accommodates both bargaining teams, let alone observers from our membership. We called their bluff and marched on the boss. This prompted Columbia to give us a 3% raise that evening.
Columbia stalled scheduling another bargaining session. But we doubled down on our outreach efforts in the community through flyering, tabling, and picketing. We stood firm when Public Safety, in violation of labor laws, attempted to interfere.
On October 17th, Columbia agreed to meet at a neutral location that can accommodate in-person observers. We repeatedly followed up with Columbia and independently verified the availability of conference rooms at the Interchurch Center.
On October 22th, Columbia finally committed to meeting on November 7th in the Sockman Lounge, which accommodates 170 people.
Despite Columbia’s union-busting, legal threats, and attempts to shut out our membership from negotiations, SWC has forced Columbia to keep wages at pace with rent increases and meet with us in person to discuss our demands.
We have already delivered articles on Health & Safety (including issues related to campus policing and surveillance), Non-Citizen Student Worker Rights, and Grievance & Arbitration. Over the last year, SWC has been developing articles and proposals on a host of demands for a just future for the university, including improvements to wages to meet cost of living, more agency in our health care options, better non-discrimination and harassment protections, academic freedom, constraints on the use of artificial intelligence to steal and replace our work, transitional funding, and for Columbia to honor obligations under international law.
We are excited to share more details about these demands and articles in the coming months as SWC fights alongside the rest of the Columbia community. We share the goal to build a future for Columbia so this school can become a place we are proud to work at. When we fight together, we win.
Mark your calendar for November 7th! The pre-bargaining caucus is at noon, and bargaining with Columbia is scheduled at 1 PM. Members can RSVP to attend here.