Columbia student workers union drops Israel divestment demand, pivoting away from Gaza solidarity campaign

❗️Columbia student workers union drops Israel divestment demand, pivoting away from Gaza solidarity campaign The Columbia University student workers union, SWC-UAW, has voted to withdraw its signature contract article demanding financial divestment from Israel, marking a major tactical retreat after months of deadlock. Dropping the international law framework allows the union to narrow its bargaining focus to mandatory workplace conditions like compensation, bowing to pressure from federal labor rules and its parent organization. This strategic pivot coincides with Columbia pressing ahead with the summer launch of its controversial global center in Tel Aviv. While the union previously served as a central pillar of the campus pro-Palestine movement—championing the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) framework and fighting against dual-degree ties to Tel Aviv University—the latest concession signals an abrupt retreat from political demands as negotiators push toward a viable contract.