August 28, 2024
Dear Cornell community,
We are pleased to share that Cornell and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract that will substantially improve compensation and benefits for the University’s service and maintenance workers in Dining, Building Care, Grounds, and Transportation, and at the College of Veterinary Medicine, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, and the Statler Hotel.
In addition to significant wage increases, the tentative agreement contains a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (“COLA”) to protect employee wages against inflation as well as increased flexibility in the use of health and personal time; floating holidays; greater vacation benefits for employees with less than five years of service; and greater access to University-provided clothing and shoe allowances. The parties have also agreed to compensate peer-to-peer training and solidify our collaborative approach to health and safety.
Our valued UAW-represented employees will vote on the tentative agreement on Sunday and Monday and, if it is approved, they will end the strike on Tuesday of next week. We look forward to welcoming them back. We continue to respect the right of our UAW-represented employees to strike. We continue to respect the right of those employees who decide to return to work in advance of the ratification vote. Updated guidance to assist supervisors with workforce reintegration can be found on the Working at Cornell website.
We extend our deep appreciation to the University’s bargaining team who worked tirelessly over many weeks and who negotiated in good faith with the UAW to reach a tentative agreement that benefits the entire community. We also recognize the efforts of our UAW-represented employees and their bargaining team in bringing both parties to this important, landmark agreement. All of our employees are an integral part of what makes our Cornell community so special.
To our students and their families, we understand the concerns that have been raised about the impact that the strike has had on Cornell Dining options, and we are eager to extend our operations to serve our entire community. We are grateful to the many staff and faculty filling the operational gaps in dining and elsewhere caused by the strike. Until we return to regular staffing levels, volunteers will continue to be needed and welcome.
Once the agreement is ratified, it will take a few days for campus operations to be fully restored. We continue to ask anyone without a meal plan that includes swipes (not Meal Choice) to explore dining alternatives other than Cornell Dining eateries until normal staffing levels have resumed.
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Sincerely,
Michael Kotlikoff
Interim President
John Siliciano
Interim Provost
Christine Lovely
Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer
Ryan Lombardi
Vice President, Student and Campus Life
Rick Burgess
Vice President for Facilities and Campus Services
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