Why did workers choose to strike?
4,000 workers at Yale were without a contract for over a year and a half. Negotiations, petitions, peaceful rallies, civil disobedience, and a 5-day work stoppage did not result in a just contract that recognizes their contributions to Yale or affords them a voice on the job. Since the strike meant a huge risk and hardship for working families, employees only undertook it as a last resort. Who called the strike? In September, and again last spring, the union membership voted to empower their elected representatives on the negotiating committees to call for a strike as a last resort. What were the main issues? According to negotiating team members, “Pensions, wages and retroactive pay, and Local 34 job security.” How could the strike have been averted? Union spokespeople repeatedly promised not to call a strike if Yale either a) returned to the bargaining table or b) agreed to submit the contract issues to an impartial third party arbitrator. Under this process, called binding arbitrati
