Columbia University runs on the labor of graduate students. They assist in teaching undergraduate classes and play a key role in research projects across various disciplines. However, Columbia’s grad student workers often struggle to pay the rent and cover basic living expenses despite their employer having a $14.4 billion endowment, among the largest of any university in the nation.
The 3,000 members of Student Workers of Columbia (SEC) are determined to do something about that. On November 3, they went on strike for the second time this year as a part of a longer, multi-year struggle for a fair contract.