Columbia Graduate Students Go On Indefinite Strike

MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS, NY — Thousands of graduate student workers at Columbia University went on strike Wednesday after they say the famous Ivy League school refuses to address their three main contract issues: a living wage, comprehensive health care and third-party arbitration.

The Student Workers of Columbia organized a rally on Wednesday that also signified the beginning of an indefinite strike. The strike comes after the union failed to reach an agreement in bargaining meetings with the university on Tuesday.

Hundreds of Columbia graduate school students, community members, and graduate students from other New York City schools participated in the rally at the heart of the Morningside campus.

"Columbia’s student workers are demanding a fair contract that includes a living wage, better healthcare, union recognition for all student workers, and protections from sexual harassment and power-based bullying," Student Workers of Columbia write in an explanation for why they're going on strike. "These are not abstract ideals: they are emergencies. Currently, the University pays graduate student workers $6,000-$19,000 below a living wage according to the MIT cost-of-living calculator for New York City, depending on the program we’re in."

The university has created a website to deliver updates on talks between the school and Student Workers of Columbia.

A spokesperson from Columbia directed Patch to the website when asked for a response to Wednesday's rally.

"As I have stated previously, our graduate students are central to the academic life of this institution," Columbia Provost Mary Boyce wrote in a Monday update on negotiations. "Whether students are on appointment or otherwise, we have a consistent record of supporting and enhancing the doctoral experience, and we remain committed to further enhancements, including through our ongoing negotiations with the Student Workers of Columbia-UAW."

The update from the university goes on to list multiple salary bumps, expansion of maternity leave payments, and an increase to the summer stipends for graduate students.

The updated contract offers did not respond, though, to requests from the union for a neutral, third-party arbitration process, which Columbia graduate students say is a must-have.

There is also student anger over a change to stipend pay schedules the university announced this summer. Instead of the stipends getting sent out in two lump sums at the start of the fall and spring semesters like in past years, Columbia opted to change to a semimonthly payment schedule.

While the university said the payment switch will bring more balance to the student-worker compensation process, the union says it will actually put many students in debt, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator.

@SW_Columbia back on the picket line!!! #CUonStrike pic.twitter.com/3awKud3uWX
— Jordan Mayfield (@jordanmmayfield) November 3, 2021

"For too long Columbia has denied its grad workers of basic necessities: a living wage, adequate childcare, and concrete protections against sexual harassment," former Manhattan Borough President candidate Lindsey Boylan wrote Wednesday on Twitter. "Enough is enough."

The strike is considered indefinite. It's unclear how classes throughout the university will be affected by missing teaching assistants.