Student and Postdoctoral/ARS Employees

On January 7, 2022, the University and SWC-UAW reached a tentative agreement on a four-year labor contract. The contract was ratified by SWC-UAW membership on January 27th.

The contract provisions address specific concerns identified by our students during their studies at Columbia. This contract provides increases in compensation and benefits, as well as expanded protections concerning cases of harassment and discrimination.

On June 30, 2020, the University and Columbia Postdoctoral Workers union reached a tentative agreement. On July 16, 2020, the union ratified the agreement.

In an email to the Columbia community, Interim Provost Ira Katznelson reflected on this positive news:

“This contract marks a significant milestone in the University’s relationship with postdoctoral researchers and associate research scientists and scholars. The agreement’s provisions reflect rigorous, respectful, and mutually successful negotiations. They establish how Columbia will operate in areas of substantial importance to researchers and scholars, indeed to the University as a whole. With the agreement now finalized, its provisions will begin to be fully implemented.”