Surprise: Columbia University union drops demand to boycott Israel

The Columbia University Student Workers Union (SWC-UAW) has dropped a key demand to divest from Israel-related investments. The decision was made at a general meeting on August 27. The union also softened demands regarding police removal and changes to surveillance systems. The Forward reported this in late August. The administration had previously accused the union of bad-faith bargaining.

The Columbia University Student Workers Union (SWC-UAW), representing over 3,000 students, has dropped one of its key demands: divestment from Israel-related investments. The decision was made at a general meeting on Monday, August 27. Previously, the union had demanded an end to the dual-degree program with Tel Aviv University, cancellation of plans for a new center in Tel Aviv, and divestment from projects linked to Israel. The abandonment of the divestment demand marks a notable shift in the organization's stance, which had been a major hub of pro-Palestinian activism since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Grant Miner, a former graduate student who calls himself the union's president, confirmed the change, citing the need to consider real circumstances. The administration had previously accused the union of negotiating in bad faith. Observers suggest the decision reflects U.S. labor law, which mandates bargaining only over wages and working conditions. The union also softened its demands regarding police removal and changes to surveillance systems. In November, the university's advisory committee rejected three proposals to divest from Israel-related investments. The university maintains the dual-degree program and plans to open a center in Tel Aviv in the summer.