Dear Cornell Administration,
On Sunday, Aug. 18, Local 2300 of the United Auto Workers called a strike of full-time service and maintenance workers at Cornell. Cornell workers tried to avoid escalation through good-faith bargaining — but the greed and intransigence of the administration has left our full-time workers with no choice. Now, students, faculty, staff and the entire Cornell community are worse off because the administration refuses to work toward a fair contract.
The UAW is asking for a 20 percent raise to establish a $24/hour living wage for all workers, a cost of living adjustment for their wages, no-cost parking and steps to address unsafe working conditions. By opposing these changes, Cornell has revealed its apathy and continued interest in employee poverty, health and safety risks and housing insecurity.
Last year, Cornell refused to contribute its fair share towards the Ithaca community’s school district and transportation system, worsening the cost of living crisis in Ithaca and the surrounding area. Cornell’s administrators, who pocket millions from service and maintenance workers’ labor, now claim that Cornell’s ten billion dollar endowment can only fund a meager 6 percent wage increase. When will Cornell respect its community?
Throughout negotiations, Cornell has failed to take workers and their demands seriously. In one bargaining session, Dana Stevens, a senior HR administrator, laughed at workers’ hardships due to financial struggle. The administration’s contempt for its workers is also clear in the workplace, where union members have faced discrimination for their union activity. Failure to bargain in good faith and retaliation both constitute violations of federal labor law, and the UAW has responded by filing Unfair Labor Practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board.
As members of the Cornell community, we are outraged by the University’s attempts to fleece its employees. We are also disgusted by Cornell’s manipulation of student workers and staff members into crossing the UAW picket line, which represents a clear attempt to pit workers against each other. Our community will not be fractured, and we stand united behind the workers who do the hard, daily work of keeping our University running.
We stand in solidarity with Cornell workers and commit to honoring their picket line. The Cornell community is proud to fight alongside UAW 2300 until our administration agrees to a fair contract befitting the essential labor they provide to our community.
In solidarity,
Michael Zanetti, Secretary, Cornell Chapter of the Young Democratic Socialists of America (YDSA)
Maggie Foster, Bargaining Committee Member, Cornell Graduate Students Union (CGSU)
Risa Lieberwitz, President, Cornell Chapter of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
Danielle Donovan, Student Worker Representative, Student Assembly
Pete Meyers, Executive Director, Tompkins County Workers Center (TCWC)
Jorge DeFendini, Chairman, Ithaca Democratic Socialists of America (IDSA)
Kayla Matos, Deputy Director, Southside Community Center; Ward 1 Alderperson, Ithaca Common Council
The undersigned Cornell community
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