Over 1,000 UAW members have participated in a strike at Cornell University as it has reportedly failed to present a fair package and has not bargained in good faith. UAW members allege that the University has also stalled and retaliated against protected union activity by the workers.
The union is made up of maintenance and facility workers, dining workers, gardeners, custodians, agriculture and horticulture workers and more. The union claims that Cornell has declined real wages for its employees despite endowment and tuition revenue growing. According to a press release, Cornell’s endowment has increased 39 percent to almost $10 billion, while tuition has increased 13 percent. Meanwhile, workers’ buying power has dropped over 5 percent during this time.
The wage for most university workers is less than $22 per hour, lower than what most economists estimate it costs for a family to live in the region. Many workers allegedly have had to move out of Ithaca in order to afford housing, but still must pay parking fees in order to park on campus.
UAW Local 2300 filed seven separate unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against Cornell University, citing violations of workers’ rights and federal labor laws amid ongoing contract negotiations.
“This strike is a direct result of University management not valuing its employees and treating working class people like they are an expendable afterthought,” said UAW Region 9 Daniel Vicente. “The University deemed these workers essential when it was convenient during the height of the COVID pandemic, well it was convenient until it was time to pay. Today we take it to the streets. UAW members will wait for the University to come to the table with a REAL offer that reflects the truly essential nature of our workforce, and the team here in Region 9 will continue to stand in solidarity with them as long as it takes.”
The strike officially began at 10 p.m. August 18 – just hours before students move in for the new school year, the Ithaca Voice reports. Other issues the union were fighting for include a wage tier-system, the introduction of a cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), workplace safety and for the University to address parking challenges. The university reportedly broke its previous offers that would include COLA in the contract. According to the Ithaca Voice, Union representatives came down from 45 percent to a 25 percent increase in wages over a 4-year contract, with a 10 percent increase in the first year. Cornell then changed its offer from 18.5 percent over five years to a 17.5 percent increase over four years.
“The University has continued to negotiate in good faith with the UAW over a new labor contract for our service and maintenance workers -- negotiations that continued throughout this weekend and into last night,” Cornell University said in a statement. “After the University’s Thursday offer, representing a historic increase in wages for this bargaining unit, we further enhanced our offer yesterday to trigger, for the first time in a Cornell union negotiation, a cost of living (COLA) adjustment, in addition to the general wage increase, that protects all members of the bargaining unit from high future inflation.”
Cornell made contingency plans that modified service levels, reallocating staff as necessary within its facilities.
According to The Cornell Daily Sun, only one dining hall will remain for the rest of the week with limited food options available to students. Signs posted near food lines read “all lines have the same menu options.” Food was served out of disposable aluminum trays with plastic catering tongs. Diners also had to use paper plates and plastic utensils instead of typical reusable plates and cutlery. Meanwhile, many students have taken to the anonymous online chat forum Sidechat to express what they have taken for granted, such as toilet paper replacements, which are no longer taking place because of the strike.
Ithaca.com reports that Cornell Administration has attempted to recruit non-union workers and retirees to fill the roles left empty by striking employees.
Negotiations between the University and UAW 2300 resumed on Thursday after a three day break.
Mackenna Moralez is the associate editor of the facilities market.
