Cornell University froze union dues for six weeks amid a dispute with its graduate student union over how religious objections were handled, according to The Ithaca Voice. The university claimed the union failed to inform members of their right to object on religious grounds.
The settlement, reached July 16, now allows objectors to cite not only religious but also moral or ethical reasons. The union dropped its grievance but insists the dues freeze was unlawful. The university will resume payments on July 31.
Tensions grew as some students opposed the union’s political positions, and legal challenges—backed by a conservative group—threaten the union’s status altogether.
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