Chicago, IL – In November, the University of Illinois announced they were hiring a new president, Joseph White. He will receive a $450,000 salary – $115,000 a year more than the outgoing president.

Now, workers at the University of Illinois are being told that the coming year’s budget will likely be cut. The explanation is that the crisis in the state’s economy is continuing to affect revenues. The politicians in Springfield are passing this crisis along to the workers.

We are being told to do more work and to expect less reward in wages and benefits. Our healthcare costs are increasing, the state threatens to reduce what it puts into our pensions and the university administration is planning another round of job cuts.

Administrative workers at the University of Illinois-Chicago joined SEIU Local 73 this year and are demanding better raises. They want step increases – sometimes called anniversary raises or longevity increases. These provide a measured way of moving from the starting salary on through the salary range to the top of your pay grade.

Samella Wright, a member of the administrative bargaining committee, expressed her feelings about working at UIC, “We’re not being paid for our value. In my department, without my work, accounting deadlines would be missed. So I stay late to complete it, or take work home on the weekend. Our value should be recognized and reflected in our paychecks.”

These workers see a double standard here – big raises for the boss, and pennies for the workers – and they don’t like it.

Administrative Workers Demand Steps!

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