>
>UCW-CWA Local 3865 Statement on the 2005 Raise
>
>A June 6, 2005 memo from UT President John Petersen outlined the raises 
>mandated for the university by the state legislature: a $750 minimum 
>increase for all staff (or 3% for all staff making over $25,000 per year) 
>and a 1.5% minimum raise for faculty, with a 1.5% merit pool.  While the 
>issue of merit raises triggers a variety of responses from different 
>constituencies, the minimum flat raise for staff has largely been welcomed 
>and applauded.
>
>The work that went into securing this raise­a huge improvement over the 
>Governor’s initial proposal of a 1% raise and 1% bonus­was largely 
>accomplished by university employees who spoke out regarding our stagnant 
>wages and ever-increasing living expenses.  UT employees began meeting 
>with legislators in the fall of 2004 and traveled to Nashville regularly 
>during the 2005 legislative session.  We called the governor’s office, 
>e'mailed our state representatives, sent hundreds of postcards advocating 
>a flat raise, and held events highlighting the need for fair wages.
>
>While President Petersen’s memo claims that the university administration 
>also worked for a fair raise for staff, there is no concrete indication 
>that this was true.  In his memo, President Petersen wrote, “throughout 
>the legislative session, the university worked to support language in the 
>proposed bills that would continue our practice of assuring at least a 
>minimum amount for staff.”  However, initially the administration was only 
>asking the governor to allow them more control over the distribution of 
>raises, particularly merit raises; there was no mention of minimum raises 
>for hard-working, underpaid staff and faculty.  In fact, the university 
>had not even hired their lobbyist until halfway through the legislative 
>session.
>
>In addition, the UCW-CWA’s original proposal of a $1,200 flat raise for 
>all university employees was opposed by the university, even though it 
>would have cost around 1 million dollars less than a 3% raise. Statistics 
>from the House budget committee further reveal that close to 154 UT 
>administrators make over $100,000 per year.  Each of them will receive the 
>3% raise­at least $3,000 each.  A cap on bloated administrative salaries 
>seems in order, particularly in light of the tuition hike of 10-15% that 
>has been threatened just a week after the raises were announced.
>
>Petersen’s memo also issues the call once again for more emphasis on merit 
>raises, stating that the university “will continue to refine our review 
>processes to be able to expand merit recognition to other groups in the 
>future.”  While merit raises can recognize the hard work of individuals, 
>the UCW-CWA stands resolute against the implementation of a merit raises 
>system without first fixing the problems that exist in the current wage 
>structure.  Merit raises should never be substituted for annual 
>cost-of-living increases.  In addition, as some UT faculty have pointed 
>out, the university lacks system-wide guidelines for fair merit 
>distribution, increasing the likelihood of favoritism and unjust 
>distribution of raises.
>
>The university administration refuses to recognize that their misguided 
>policies place an unfair burden on university employees. While staff 
>salaries have improved since 1998, as Peterson states in his memo, these 
>increases in salaries do not account for general inflation or the 
>ever-rising expenses in health insurance and parking at UT.  The countless 
>hours of work put into addressing our own concerns as UT employees has 
>influenced the debate around issues of justice and fairness at the 
>university, and as we gain more and more ground in our organizing, we will 
>gain more leverage in the state legislature.
>
>UNITED CAMPUS WORKERS- COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS OF AMERICA is a democratic, 
>member-run union at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga and Knoxville, 
>affiliated with the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO.  We're 
>building a strong voice for all campus workers and public service 
>employees in Tennessee. Join us!
>
>United Campus Workers- Communications Workers of America Local 3865
>1721 West Cumberland
>Knoxville, TN  37916
>Toll Free:  1-877-CWA 3865
>Organizer Cameron Brooks:  (865) 387-4408
>President Elizabeth Gentry:  (865) 546-9584
>Email:  [log in to unmask]
>http://ucw-cwa.org