Since the Student Workers of Columbia-United Auto Workers took to the picket lines last Wednesday, bargaining between the union and the University has effectively come to a halt over the question of mediation.
The SWC-UAW bargaining committee and the University continue to spar over worker protections, compensation, healthcare, and the inclusion of more hourly workers in the SWC-UAW unit. The University estimates that the gap between the two proposals totals $140 million. Progress on these conversations has been delayed by debates over whether to continue with bargaining sessions or move into mediation.