By: Annabelle Pan

Graphics Editor

On Sept. 3, Cornell University service and maintenance workers ended their strike and returned to their jobs. United Auto Workers (UAW) union members began their workers strike on Aug. 18, and the strike lasted a total of fifteen days, becoming the longest strike in Cornell history. The strike took place the day before students began moving onto the campus and through the first week of school, which meant the students had to start the school year with suboptimal food and minimal custodial service. During the strike, the school served box lunches to students and asked staff to bring their lunches because the lack of workers strained the eateries. However, many workers felt it was necessary to strike at the beginning of the school year so Cornell would take them seriously and consider their requests.

The union’s previous contract expired in June, and negotiations between the union and Cornell had been ongoing for months. The international and regional UAW went to Cornell to support the workers during the negotiations. Cornell and the union came to a tentative agreement, which was given to UAW Local 2300 — that represents around 1,200 custodians, food service workers, and other workers at Cornell — and, on Labor Day weekend, the workers voted to either accept or reject the terms of the proposed agreement. 77% of the members voted to accept the agreement, and a new labor contract was ratified on Sept. 3. 

In the new contract, Cornell leadership met more than 40 demands from the union, which include a 21-24% wage increase on average for the four years that the agreement lasts. According to the UAW, workers with the lowest pay grades in the bargaining unit will have significant pay raises within the first two years. Cornell also agreed to another major demand from the UAW: removing the tier system from the labor contract. The tier system allowed employees with the same job to have different wages because workers who started before the cutoff date, which was Jun. 30, 1997, were paid more than those who started after. Cornell intended this system to recognize senior employees with a pay increase, but the system divided workers. The contract also has a COLA, or cost-of-living adjustment, which increases wages depending on inflation. The COLA also gives workers more flexibility for health and personal time, holidays, more vacation benefits, and greater access to Cornell-provided clothing and shoe allowances.

In a message sent out to the Cornell community on Cornell’s website and via email, Cornell leadership informed students and families of details about the strike and the agreement. In the message, Cornell stated that they respect the right of UAW-represented workers to strike and also the rights of those who returned or did not strike. They ended the message by thanking students and parents for their patience, the bargaining team for their hard work, and the workers for bringing both parties to reach this important agreement.

(Sources: Cornell University, WKSG, The Ithaca Voice)