Nearly 100 employees who work at New York Medical College in Valhalla went on strike on Tuesday, just one day before students at the college are set to graduate.

News 12 saw lab technicians, maintenance workers and researchers on the picket line. They said they joined the strike to call on their employer to pay them fairly.

The 1199 SEIU union workers said they've been without a contract since September. They said the college has offered them wage increases that amount to just over 1% per year.

Bobby Damato, a lead mechanic at the college, said he and his fellow coworkers deserve more due to cost-of-living increases and the amount of work they do to keep the college running.

"I break my back to make sure this place is everything that it is and everything that is functional and operational. I deserve a fair wage," Damato said.

A spokesperson for the college said they "remain engaged in ongoing negotiations" with the union. The spokesperson added that they value the work of the employees and hope that discussions will lead to a good agreement between the two parties.