Student-Worker Solidarity
| Student-Worker Solidarity | |
| |
| Founded: | September 2012 |
| Recognition: | SGB |
| Membership: | ? |
| Executive Board: | Jane Brennan Evan Burger Corin Coetzee Adam Deutsch George Joseph Emilie Segura Becky Simonsen Lizzy Wolozin |
| Category: | Political, Activist |
| Website: | studentworkersolidarity.wordpress.com |
| Contact: | studentworkersolidarity@gmail.com |
Student-Worker Solidarity (often abbreviated SWS) is a labor solidarity group at Columbia. It is a campaign-based group, organizing around specific struggles for labor rights in the Columbia community. SWS differentiates itself from other campus activist groups by fighting for concrete goals, organizing frequent demonstrations, and maintaining close communication with the workers they fight alongside.
The mission statement of SWS reads: "We are members of the Columbia community fighting for economic justice. To do so, we strive to promote support and solidarity between students and workers both on our own University campus and outside of its gates."[1]
Contents
Campaigns
Students Support Barnard Workers
SWS was formed in the fall of 2012 under the name Students Support Barnard Workers (SSBW). SSBW was a student support group for the members of UAW Local 2110, which represents dorm access attendants and clerical workers at Barnard as well as workers at Columbia and Teacher’s College, as they fought for a fair contract with Barnard. Barnard President Debora Spar’s administration was demanding a wide array of cutbacks from the workers (including cutting maternity leave), pleading that Barnard was in dire financial straits. The workers argued otherwise, pointing out Barnard could clearly afford lavish new buildings and pay raises for administrators.
SSBW joined the Barnard 2110 members in their fight for a fair contract, kicking off the campaign with a teach-in attended by over a hundred students. The campaign continued with meetings with administrators, weeks of awareness raising, and a flyering campaign at Founder’s Day. The administration seemed like they were digging in on this fight, even in the face of unprecedented student-worker coalition-building. Then, on October 19th, a month after the first SSBW planning meeting, 2110 members voted to accept a contract that met every one of their demands. All of the hard work was done at the negotiating table, but workers claimed that student support was crucial in giving moral support and putting pressure on the administration.
Indus Valley
After this huge victory, SSBW underwent the transition to SWS, moving beyond the founding campaign to become a standing solidarity group, but keeping our commitment to organizing around campaigns in the Columbia community.
Faculty House
References
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