Columbia University and the Student Workers of Columbia-UAW have reached a Tentative Agreement on a four-year labor contract. The Union has informed the university that its strike ended today at noon.
In a letter to the Columbia community announcing the news, Mary C. Boyce, the university provost and professor of mechanical engineering, wrote: "There is no doubt that this has been a challenging period for the University, yet all who were involved in collective bargaining shared the common goal of creating a stronger Columbia for those who teach and learn, conduct research, discover and innovate, work and study here."
She added, "We are proud of this agreement, which would make Columbia a leader in higher education on a long list of issues affecting student employees, and we look forward to sharing more details in the coming days."
The ratification process is expected to take three weeks. But Boyce is "optimistic that when the new academic term begins on January 18, Columbia will fully return to the normal rhythm of academic life, and to the pursuit of intellectual accomplishment and personal fulfillment that brings each of us to this great University."
