While we continue to wait for the Provost to accept our invitation to a town-hall-style debate with a pro-union graduate student, GWC-UAW supporters will be participating in a number of other discussions and forums on unionization as we lead up to our historic election. We encourage all voters to attend these events and inform themselves before voting on December 7 and 8, especially as the University has increased its efforts to persuade us to vote no as we approach the actual vote. Details for these events are below.
We still hope the Provost accepts our invitation. In the meantime, in order to continue our efforts to promote factual information on unionization, we’ve provided a new annotated version of the Provost’s latest page on his website, “Keep informed on the unionization debate.” The GWC-UAW annotation offers a response, derived from existing practices in more than 60 unionized graduate schools across the US, to the arguments the Provost and other administrators have provided against unionization.
While refusing our debate invitation so far, the Provost and other administrators have held closed-door meetings with department chairs and faculty, participated in one-sided town halls in all major areas of the University, sent emails to graduate students, and have continued to update their website opposing the union. As well, the administration in several parts of the university has distributed material from graduate students opposing the campaign, and while we respect the right of the university to communicate its views and to support the opinions of graduate workers opposed to the union, we believe it would be more fair if they disseminated information from both sides and we have requested that they do so in several locations. We are looking forward to their response to this request.
Upcoming Forums and Discussions on Unionization at Columbia
Monday, November 28, 6-8pm— Columbia University Student Unionization Panel (hosted by Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate) CUMC, P&S Building, Forum 1
This panel will involve both pro-union and anti-union student representatives.
Tuesday, November 29, 6-8pm— Engineering Graduate Student Council Town Hall
Davis Auditorium, in the Schapiro Center on the Morningside campus
This forum will feature both pro-union and anti-union graduate workers.
Tuesday, November 29, 6-8pm— CUMC Administration town hall on unionization, CUMC Hammer Building, room 401
This will be a repeat of a CUMC administration town hall before the Thanksgiving break where administrators made arguments against unionization and handed out opinion pieces from anti-union graduate students (recently emailed to all graduate students at CUMC).
Friday, December 2, 3-5pm— Columbia University Student Unionization Panel (hosted by Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate) Morningside, Jerome Greene Hall, room 104.
This panel will involve both pro-union and anti-union student representatives.
Monday, December 5, 4-6pm— Columbia University Unionization Panel with students and a representative from the administration (hosted by Student Affairs Committee of the University Senate) Morningside, Jerome Greene Hall, room 103
This panel will include pro-union Columbia graduate students, an anti-union Columbia graduate student, a University of Connecticut graduate student who can speak to experiences having a union there, and a Columbia administration representative.