Academic Student Workers Reach Tentative Agreement with The New School 

After a three-day strike, a successor contract has been drawn and is now seeking ratification 

Academic student workers at New York City’s The New School began a work stoppage on March 6, 2024, after claiming unsatisfactory contract negotiations. 

Represented by the ACT-UAW Local 7902, the students have now reached a tentative agreement with the university. The new three-year contract includes raises of between 24% and 31% for all academic student workers and 80% healthcare coverage for all graduate workers.

More agreements include the first codification in a labor agreement in the U.S. of protections for trans and reproductive rights, and The New School’s first childcare fund.

While The New School’s academic student workers, part-time faculty, and student health employees are unionized within ACT-UAW Local 7902, the New Student Workers Union (NewSWU) of non-academic student workers is currently awaiting a ruling from the National Labor Relations Board after the union filed a for its recognition.

“The recent strike at the New School would not have been possible without the many NewSWU members who went on strike in solidarity and joined their fellow student workers on the picket line,” read a ACT-UAW Local 7902 press release. “With yet another unit, hopefully, soon to be recognized at The New School, unionized workers look forward to building a just, safe, and healthy workplace for all university community members.”

“We are pleased to announce that SENS-UAW Local 7902, representing our Academic Student Workers, and The New School have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement. This is a strong, fair, three-year contract,” said Sonya Williams, the school’s Vice President for Human Resources. “The union has ended the strike, and all university classes will resume as scheduled effective immediately.

“The union leadership will recommend this agreement to its members, and it will now go to the union members for a ratification vote,” she added. “We want to share our sincere gratitude to the members of both the union and university bargaining teams for their dedication and tireless work. Now, together, we can return to our mission of teaching, learning, creating, and supporting our students.”

According to the New School Free Press, the latest contract will go out to the union by March 19. Subsequently, SENS (Student Employees at The New School)-UAW Local 7902 will vote on its approval by March 31, 2024.