The 1,000 members who work as Researchers, Clerical, Library and Technical staff at Columbia University Medical Center in Manhattan ended four months of negotiations on a high note today.

They have a tentative agreement for a contract with 9% across the board wage increases and NO DEDUCTIBLES to their Choice In-Network healthcare plan.

Columbia University repeatedly said during the negotiations that they could no longer afford to fund the Union-negotiated Choice In-Network plan without imposing deductibles.

Slowly but surely, members built their strength and came in numbers to the bargaining sessions and let management know what our health plan means to them.

Many members in the bargaining unit have families and simply could not afford to pay the $400 per person deductible that management put on the table.

Management countered with a $200 deductible, but today they signed a tentative agreement with no change to Choice In-Network Healthcare Plan

They also agreed to a 3% wage increase for each year of the contract.

Members will be voting to ratify this tentative agreement next Wednesday.