Notice of Summer Bargaining Referendum
A vote on bargaining over the summer term will take place from Monday, May 6 to Tuesday, May 14 at 5pm. Please see below for more election information and a sample ballot.
You can read the rationale in favor or against bargaining over the summer here.
Election Information:
Election Dates: Monday, May 6 to Tuesday, May 14 at 5:00pm
Voting will be conducted via an online ballot and will be sent out on Monday, May 6.
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 here in order to vote.
Sample Ballot:
In February 2019, GWC-UAW approved an open bargaining strategy. This included a vote (391-to-158) not to authorize bargaining during academic holidays, including the summer months. If passed, this ballot would amend the referendum with regard to bargaining over the summer, specifically the removal of the clause: “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.” Our last scheduled bargaining date is May 17 in keeping with that vote. The Bargaining Committee shall continue to take steps to ensure an open and inclusive bargaining process that takes into account the interests and needs of workers, including those off-campus.
“Shall GWC-UAW bargain over the summer (between the last day of spring finals and the first day of fall classes)?”
Yes. Amend the previous referendum to allow bargaining over the summer.
No. Do not alter the previous referendum which prohibits bargaining over the summer.