The publication of an internal memo has revealed that officials at Columbia University considered imposing harsh penalties against graduate students who staged a five-day strike last week. Although no such actions were taken, many students and faculty were surprised that the university would even consider such hardball tactics. A decision by the National Labor Relations Board that graduate assistants at private universities are not eligible for unionization leaves them unprotected from this type of retaliation.
See "Stiff Penalties on Strikers Were Weighed at Columbia", Karen W. Arenson, The New York Times, April 27, 2005