Cornell University said it had reached a tentative agreement with its employees to end a strike that began last week.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2300 union, which represents more than 1,200 janitors, groundskeepers, cooks, food service workers and other Cornell employees, began a strike on August 19. As students began moving onto campus for the 2024-2025 academic year, workers stopped work and began picketing.
Striking workers said their real wages have fallen while Cornell’s endowment and tuition revenues have risen. Over the past four years, the university’s endowment has increased 39 percent to nearly $10 billion and tuition has risen 13 percent, while workers’ purchasing power has fallen 5 percent, the union said.
Cornell said Wednesday that the agreement with the UAW will “significantly improve pay and benefits.” The UAW said workers’ wages would increase by as much as 25%, plus a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) to protect employees’ wages from inflation. Workers would also receive more flexibility in scheduling time off, more vacation pay and better access to university-provided clothing, according to a news release.
“Cornell workers were tired of being exploited and disrespected,” said Christine Johnson, president of UAW Local 2300. “This agreement will bring a better life to the people who keep Cornell running.”
UAW workers are expected to vote on the tentative agreement on Sunday and Monday. If it is approved, the strike will end on Tuesday.
“We look forward to welcoming them back,” Cornell officials said in a statement. “We continue to respect the right of our UAW-represented employees to strike. We continue to respect the right of those employees who choose to return to work prior to the ratification vote… All of our employees are an integral part of what makes our Cornell community so special.”
The Ithaca school also thanked students and their families for their patience during the strike and expressed gratitude to staff and teachers who helped address operational bottlenecks in dining halls and other services.
Normal campus operations are expected to be fully restored a few days after the strike ends next week.
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