Full results of the election can be found here.
Notice of Bargaining Procedure Referendum
Open Bargaining is a union negotiation procedure where all contract engagement between workers and their employer is conducted in transparent meetings open to all members of the union’s bargaining unit. This referendum will determine several aspects of our approach to open bargaining. The first addresses sidebars and mediation sessions and includes two possible options. The second is an up-down vote on whether to bargain during academic recess, including all academic holidays, summer break, and winter break. The ballot items may be found in full below, and the ballot as it will appear is linked here.
Election Date: Wednesday, February 6 and Thursday, February 7, 2018
Voting Times and Locations
Absentee Balloting: Please click here to request a ballot.
Morningside: Feb. 6, 7; 10am-6pm, Nous Café/Graduate Student Center (Philosophy Hall)
CUMC: Feb. 6, 7; 10am-6pm, Hammer Health Sciences Building Room LL1-104
Lamont: Feb. 6; 10am-2pm, Cafeteria
Manhattanville: Feb. 7; 10am-2pm, The Forum (in the cafe)
Eligible voters have signed a GWC-UAW authorization card who are Columbia graduate and undergraduate students who are currently employed by the university, have been employed by the university in the past, or whose program includes a degree requirement to be employed by the university in one of the categories outlined by the NLRB decision (i.e. graduate and undergraduate Teaching Assistants, Teaching Fellows, Preceptors, Course Assistants, Readers, Graders, Graduate Research Assistants [including those on Training Grants], and All Departmental Research Assistants). If you meet the above criteria and have not signed up for the Union previously, you may do so at the polls in order to vote.
Ballots will be counted after the polls close at Brownies Cafe (basement of Avery Hall).
In the event of a tie, if necessary, will be held on Wednesday, February 13, from 10am-6pm at Morningside and CUMC, and 10am to 2pm at Lamont and the Forum. The locations will be announced accordingly.
Proposal A
Fully open bargaining: All bargaining sessions will be open to all members.
Bargaining updates: The unit will be updated on the progress of bargaining after every session through a GWC bargaining blog.
Bargaining will be structured around specific issues:
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Working groups and department organizers will take point on liaising with Bargaining Committee (BC) members on specific issues. BC members will meet with them before entering bargaining on an issue.
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Testimonials and participation will be arranged in advance by working groups and department organizers.
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If other people wish to intervene during bargaining, they will pass a paper slip to one designated BC member. The BC will decide whether it is appropriate for that person to speak.
A bargaining session may be temporarily closed in the event that someone wishes to testify privately; the session will only be closed for the duration of their testimony.
Bargaining updates: The unit will be updated on the progress of bargaining after every session through a GWC bargaining blog.
No sidebars: There will be no meetings between BC members, UAW staff and the Columbia administration or their lawyers away from the open bargaining table, and negotiations will remain open to all members of the unit.
Open sessions with Mediators. In some cases, the employer may suggest a third-party mediator to overcome perceived bargaining stalemates. These usually take place in closed bargaining sessions. To ensure fidelity to the open bargaining process, the Bargaining Committee shall agree to third-party mediations that take place only in open and transparent bargaining sessions.
Proposal B
Fully open bargaining: All bargaining sessions will be open to all members.
Bargaining updates: The unit will be updated on the progress of bargaining after every session through a GWC bargaining blog.
Bargaining will be structured around specific issues:
-
Working groups and department organizers will take point on liaising with Bargaining Committee (BC) members on specific issues. BC members will meet with them before entering bargaining on an issue.
-
Testimonials and participation will be arranged in advance by working groups and department organizers.
-
If other people wish to intervene during bargaining, they will pass a paper slip to one designated BC member. The BC will decide whether it is appropriate for that person to speak.
A bargaining session may be temporarily closed in the event that someone wishes to testify privately; the session will only be closed for the duration of their testimony.
Bargaining updates: The unit will be updated on the progress of bargaining after every session through a GWC bargaining blog.
Sidebars and mediation only with prior consent of the unit: There will be no meetings between BC members, UAW staff and the Columbia administration or their representatives away from the open bargaining table, including third-party mediations, unless the following procedure is followed.
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The Bargaining Committee recommends that a meeting away from the open bargaining table be held.
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Following that recommendation, an online up or down vote shall be held open to the entire unit for at least seven days. The result of that vote by majority will determine of whether or not a meeting away from the open bargaining table will be held. There must be at least 600 valid ballots for the results to be binding.
Holiday Bargaining: The below proposal is presented for approval.
Holidays: No bargaining between the union and the employer shall be conducted during academic holidays, including summer or winter breaks. Specifically, no bargaining shall be authorized to take place between the last day of Final Exams in the Spring semester and the first day of classes in the Fall semester. Likewise, no bargaining shall be authorized to take place between the last day of Final Exams in the Fall semester and the first day of classes in the Spring Semester.