5/9/25 Columbia University Refuses To Bargain Again, in Violation of Legal Obligations
This afternoon, SWC’s negotiations team—including our Bargaining Committee, President, and Vice President—was prepared to meet with Columbia University in a neutral location, the Conference Room of the Central Labor Council (350 W 31st Street), at 2pm. Once again, Columbia did not show up, refusing to bargain and abdicating their legal responsibility to meet over the negotiation of a successor contract.
We have communicated to the University that their refusal to show up constitutes an unwillingness to bargain with SWC in good faith and is a failure to meet their legal obligations under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
For several weeks now, the University has attempted to illegally choose which union representatives they will meet with. They have argued that meeting with union president Grant Miner would make it “impossible to bargain in good faith,” a claim they have not substantiated in any form. The Bargaining Committee has made it clear repeatedly that Columbia is obligated to meet with our entire negotiations team—including our President and Vice President. Under Article 7 of the NLRA, any union has the right to “bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing.”
Columbia has no standing, legal or otherwise, to condition who represents our union at the bargaining table. Our UAW reps, our legal counsel, and our own review of case law have affirmed this. The University has no legal standing to require that we meet in the Studebaker Building. SWC has attempted to present solutions that allow the University to meet its legal obligations to meet with our entire negotiations team, but they have refused to engage.
We have sent ground rules for productive negotiations that the University has refused to respond to or counter. We have invited the University to a neutral location for negotiations, and now they have refused to show up. We have asked the University to provide any justification for their claim that the presence of Grant—who was present at our first bargaining session after his expulsion—makes bargaining in good faith impossible, and have received no response.
It is difficult to engage in conversation with an employer that refuses to provide any justification for their actions, illegally fires our union president, attempts to condition our own representation, and refuses to meet at any location that is not guarded by their own Public Safety officers. Their words, and their actions, have made repeatedly clear that they are unwilling to bargain with SWC in good faith.
Despite the University’s refusal to attend bargaining, we were still able to host a productive General Body Meeting, and approved several urgent contract proposals which we are eager to share with the University when they are willing to bargain in good faith.
The University continues to engage in repressive tactics to break our labor power and erode our right to bargain with representatives chosen by us, and not our bosses. SWC is eager to move forward with discussions over a dignified and just successor contract to make student workers and the Columbia community stronger in this moment of crisis. We regret that the University has forced the focus of our discussion to be on matters of meeting locations and bargaining teams. The focus, of course, should be on workers' issues. This is why we have articles prepared that protect our community from police brutality from Public Safety, that provide legal and financial support for non-citizens, that outline our academic rights as instructors and researchers, and far more. It is past time for us to meet—we have made every effort to provide a path forward, and continue to eagerly await any sign that Columbia is willing to do the same.
Alt text of email to CU HR:
Dear XXXX,
It is unfortunate that the University chose not to attend our bargaining session today. This is the second meeting in a row that the University has frustrated by refusing to identify or come to a location which all members of our negotiations team can access. It is clear from the University's words and actions that you are either unwilling or unprepared to meet to bargain with SWC in good faith at this time.
When the University is prepared to take this process seriously, please let us know by sending your suggestions for possible meeting locations which are accessible to all members of our team.
Please also send further dates on which you are prepared to meet without illegal restrictions, as well as suggestions for agreeable, accessible locations. We will follow up with further dates as well. We remain optimistic, despite your behavior, that productive negotiations are possible.
Sincerely,
Bargaining Committee
Student Workers of Columbia, UAW Local 2710