Hi everyone,

We thank our powerful rank and file for organizing the motion to reconstitute the bargaining committee. With over 500 signatories, this motion received more votes than any candidate on the bargaining committee. In light of this petition and the recent rejection of the contract tentative agreement, the Bargaining Committee has collectively decided to resign our positions, effectively upon the conclusion of the ongoing vote to go on/off strike in the immediate term, and an announcement of new elections.

In failing to ratify a contract acceptable to our members, we have lost our democratic mandate to continue bargaining. Some of us may run again for these positions, allowing the membership to either restore this democratic mandate, or decide that their needs would be better served by other candidates. We uphold the proposed timeline for BC elections discussed and voted on by the Organizing Committee, of 4 weeks of campaigning and 2 weeks of elections.

The Organizing Committee will announce elections and should take on any outstanding responsibilities of the bargaining committee in the interim between our resignation and the election of a new committee. Please respond to this email if you would like to attend our weekly organizing committee meetings. They are currently on Thursdays from 4-5:30pm ET, but a new summer time will be set soon.

Much work is left to be done, but we are confident in the strength of our members, the power of our labor, and the success of our future campaign for a contract that serves the needs of our members and sets a strong precedent for student worker unions across the country. We believe that the next iteration of the bargaining committee can best achieve this through open and transparent bargaining that empowers workers and takes its direction from the rank-and-file.

We are holding two General Body Meetings to discuss the vote about the strike, BC elections, and the next steps for our unit this coming Monday at 6:30pm and Tuesday at 9am. Register to attend here.

 

Lilian, Tristan, and Joanna

The Bargaining Committee, Graduate Workers of Columbia-UAW

Columbia Academic Workers for a Democratic Union