Ithaca, New York - Cornell University workers announced Wednesday that they have secured a tentative contract deal amid a successful labor strike.

Cornell University workers – including custodians, cooks, gardeners, mechanics, and more – launched the strike on the evening of August 18 after voting overwhelmingly in favor of the step just days prior.

The timing coincided with students' arrival for the fall semester and has disrupted many aspects of campus life which depend on the workers' labor, including dining services.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) union, which represents the workers, said most of the university employees currently take home just $22 an hour, leaving many struggling to make a living and afford housing in Ithaca.

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Meanwhile, Cornell's endowment has reached nearly $10 billion, and tuition has gone up 13% in the last four years.

The new tentative agreement seeks to alleviate workers' economic hardship with hourly wage increases of 21-25.4% over four years, as well as improvements to policies on time off, uniforms, inclement weather, and safety protections.

"None of this is possible without everyone’s contributions," the UAW Local 2300 bargaining team said in a message to membership. "You held the line out in the rain and the heat so that we could bargain. There are going to be hard conversations ahead between all of us, but please remember that we are still in this together no matter what."

The ratification vote for UAW members is scheduled for September 1-2. Until then, the strike continues!