ITHACA, NY (CortacaToday) — Over 1,000 Cornell employees are on strike.
Cooks, gardeners, and other members of the United Auto Workers union are seeking better conditions on the job. UAW International Representative Lonnie Everett said negotiations are not just about money.
“There’s a lot of things in [the contract put forward] from a daily operations standpoint, from a work-life balance standpoint, things that our members need from a safety standpoint, that make their life better here on campus, and also better in their households and in their communities,” he said.
Everett believes the well-being of workers is vital.
“We’re focused on the human side of the members,” he said. “Money is important, not going to argue that fact, but money is more important in this aspect because the members are struggling so bad.”
In a statement released Monday, Cornell officials said the university is bargaining in good faith. They said they’re proposing to use a federal mediator, or a mediator of the UAW’s choice, to help reach an agreement.
