Student Workers of Columbia (SWC-UAW)

SWC-UAW was created in 2016 after a decision from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) overruled NLRB precedents prohibiting graduate student unions at private universities because of the interference they cause in the educational process. ²

SWC-UAW has been heavily involved in the protests and activism at Columbia related to the conflict between Israel and Hamas resulting from the Hamas terror attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023. In March 2025, Columbia expelled SWC-UAW president Grant Miner over his participation in the April 2024 “occupation” of the university’s Hamilton Hall administrative offices. ^{3 4}

History

In 2014, the original attempt to organize graduate students at Columbia University by the United Auto Workers (UAW) had been rejected by a National Labor Relations Board regional director for attempting to create a union of people who “are not employees” under the National Labor Relations Act. The union appealed, and in 2016, the National Labor Relations Board recognized SWC-UAW, overruling its own precedent from 2004 that prohibited the unionization of graduate student teaching assistants at Brown University. ⁵

Activities

2021 Strikes

In March 2021, SWC-UAW members went out on a three-week strike that was ended by a tentative agreement reached with the assistance of federal mediators. However, 53 percent of union members rejected the agreement. In response, all 10 members of the union’s bargaining committee resigned their roles on the committee, with some citing harassment and threats from more militant union members. ⁶

In the fall of 2021, SWC-UAW members went out on a strike that ended in January 2022 with an agreement that was approved by the membership. ⁷

Israel-Hamas Protests

Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on the state of Israel, SWC-UAW members have been heavily involved in the protests and activism at Columbia University related to the resulting Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. ⁸

In March 2025, Columbia University expelled SWC-UAW president Grant Miner over his participation in the April 2024 “occupation” of the university’s Hamilton Hall administrative offices. ^{3 9} Miner was one of 22 students disciplined over the occupation. ⁹

In a press release, the national United Auto Workers (UAW) union characterized Columbia’s expulsion of Miner as an “assault on First Amendment rights” and blamed Columbia’s actions on the Trump administration’s freeze of Columbia’s federal funding over concerns the university was not sufficiently policing antisemitic rhetoric and threats toward Jewish students, faculty, and staff. ¹⁰

Even though he was expelled from the university, was no longer an employee of it, and was banned from its campus; Miner attempted to participate in contract bargaining negotiations between the union and university by teleconference. ¹¹ The university declined, pointing out that it has no obligation to meet with an expelled student. ¹²

Miner complained to Columbia’s student newspaper that university leaders “see us as little kids that they can boss around because we are Ph.D. students.” ¹¹

In May 2025, Miner participated in a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA)-hosted screening of the pro-Palestinian film The Encampments about the occupation of outdoor spaces at Columbia University. ¹³