On July 3, a union election seated eight new bargaining committee members and two returning members and approved a new name for the organization: the Student Workers of Columbia. The SWC will contend with the aftermath of the spring semester’s weeks-long strike and the eventual rejection of a tentative agreement reached with Columbia after two years of negotiation.
The new leadership, drawn entirely from a group of 10 candidates who ran together as the “Worker Empowerment” slate, envisions a “more democratic” future for the SWC. Leadership proposes a recommitment to four key components of what it considers a strong contract, including the recognition of the entire bargaining unit, neutral third-party arbitration for cases of harassment and discrimination, improved health care coverage, and wage increases consistent with inflation and the cost of living in New York City.
Student-worker union elections result in new name and bargaining committee
