We made progress towards a new contract at the October 19th bargaining session with the University. We brought a counter to Compensation, Appointments, Childcare, and Union Activity/Access. The University brought counters to Union Activity/Access.
The University chose not to bring a counter on compensation after taking a 90 minute caucus to discuss our proposals. The refusal to engage in a serious back and forth on this article, especially after our significant movement today, continues to harm workers who urgently need a raise.
Copies of these articles can be found in the Bargaining Proposal Tracker.
Compensation
In accordance with the results of the Bargaining Committee’s poll available to all union members, we made the following changes in our compensation offer:
Proposed a new annual base-pay salary of $68,000.
Removed clause that compensation rates be funded by the University’s central operational fund.
Moved retroactive pay date from July 1st 2025 to July 1st 2026.
Removed clause demanding six years of guaranteed funding.
Importantly, the University did not object to any parts of this proposal, asking only clarifying questions—such as the percent increase to the hourly wage and the source consulted regarding the rate of inflation.
During caucus, we gave the University time to develop a compensation offer. However, upon returning they said they had no counters on compensation at this time.
Appointments
In accordance with the results of the Bargaining Committee’s poll available to all union members, we made the following changes in appointments offer:
Implemented kill fees at $2000 for cancelled appointments. This was modeled on the University's past practice last summer of providing $2000 to students whose classes were cancelled.
Proposed that if the University continues to offer a course previously substantially taught by a worker in our unit, it is reassigned to another worker our unit, rather than outside workers. This was intended to address the IOR job cuts.
Reiterated our demand that appointment letters contained information regarding the source of funding.
Removed section that limits number of students per TA, with extra pay for extra students
Removed clause that hiring levels must not change by >1% within a department, year on year
Removed clause that appointments must first be offered to people outside years of guaranteed funding
Removed clause that students may not be given appointments that affect their ability to complete within allotted time
The University strongly objected to much of our proposal, calling it “totally unacceptable” and “ridiculous”.
The University similarly objected to our demand for source of funding information being included in the appointment letter, calling it a “mountain of administrative burden”. One representative of the University’s committee expressed, “No way will we agree to this”.
We then made an in session counter with small language changes to address some of their logistical concerns.
Childcare
Several members of our bargaining unit shared powerful testimony regarding how the costs of childcare have strongly hindered their ability to start a family. Afterwards, we presented our childcare proposal, which implemented the following demands:
$9,000 for children under the age of six and $6,000 for children between the ages of six and eighteen
Accepted offer of $7,500 for adoption assistance
Proposed that parental accommodation consist in a single semester with full pay and an unpaid additional semester.
Proposed that Ph.D. students can receive an additional four weeks extension with pay under the existing parental accommodation policy, and that leave is also available to them when they are both on and off appointment.
The University objected to the size of the childcare subsidy on the basis that it is only intended to cover daycare costs while the parent is working, not any other living expenses. The University construed us as proposing that some members of our unit “receive higher wages” than other members. We stood by our position that parents should be entitled to childcare subsidies.
Union Activity/Access
We changed a clause in Section 3, stipulating that Union may designate officers and/or stewards appropriate to the size of the unit who shall be members of the local (rather than the University’s proposed language, “the bargaining unit”). We reasserted that we object to the University dictating who represents us, and that their language forecloses the possibility of becoming an amalgamated local, where officers may be members of the local but not the bargaining unit. The University raised the issue of our elected stewards potentially not being members of the bargaining unit, a situation we do not anticipate happening.
We reasserted that the University shall allow a reasonable number of membership meetings on campus each semester, including the summer term. The University asked how many membership meetings we planned to host on campus. We responded that we typically have General Body Meetings once or twice a month. The University exclaimed that amounted to “24 meetings a year” which gave them “humongous concern”, and suggested that other unions host membership meetings in “union halls or local hotels”.
We reasserted that the University shall encourage departments and programs to set and communicate their orientation schedules at least ten (10) business days in advance, and that the University shall not require new student-employees’ presence elsewhere during scheduled union orientations. The University objected that they do not know of any cases where employees were required elsewhere during scheduled union orientations. We brought up an example where this was the case.
Important: Organizing for a Compensation Offer
It’s been nearly 16 months since our contract expired. In that time, the University raised our rent, and grocery costs skyrocketed. At this point, produce from Westside should come with a repayment plan…
But what about our salary?
Today we put forward another compensation proposal. We’ve been moving towards the University, article after article. After all this, what is Columbia’s response to our proposal? Still no written counter. Members have worked tirelessly towards a new contract and are struggling to make ends meet. It is about time Columbia gave us a compensation proposal. Workers need a raise, right now.
This is what the Organizing Committee is for. If you want Columbia to give us a compensation offer, join us any Friday at 12PM EST. Zero prior knowledge required. All you need is a willingness to help get the compensation we deserve, and the only thing you have to do is show up.