Press contact
Laura Goldblatt

Copyright

All content including blogs and photos are freely available for republication, quotation, distribution and printing under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License with attribution to The Living Wage Campaign at the University of Virginia and a citation of our website, LivingWageAtUVA.org. Full photo galleries are available for HQ download on Facebook.

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May 23 – Response to New Budget – Direct Employee Raise (PDF)

The UVA Living Wage Campaign responds to University’s new budget

University still refuses to acknowledge contract employees

Charlottesville, VA – While the Living Wage Campaign strongly commends our University for its  increase in the base wage for direct employees (from $10.65 to $11.30), we call attention to the fact that the University still refuses to take responsibility for its hundreds of contract employees. The Campaign calls on the University to acknowledge the work done by its many contract employees and commit to equal pay for the equal work they do: work which keeps the University buildings clean, its Grounds well-tended and beautiful, and its students and staff well-fed.

Contract employees now make up a significant portion of the University’s workforce, with hundreds of workers employed by companies such as Aramark (which is also one of Charlottesville’s largest employers). Contract employees do the exact same work as direct employees, but can be paid as little as the federal minimum wage of $7.25, and are not eligible for any of the University’s benefits.

A core part of the statement Michael Strine e-mailed to the University community at the conclusion of the Campaign’s Spring 2012 hunger strike is a promise to collect data from subcontractors on the number of contracted employees on campus and the compensation they receive. (This statement can be found at  http://www.virginia.edu/wages/strine120229.html). Until the University makes good on this promise, the Campaign will continue to advocate for the rights of the many hundreds of contract employees on Grounds, as well as a living wage for all UVA employees.

The Living Wage Campaign is an organization comprised of UVA students, staff, faculty, and community members. The Campaign recently made national news with its 13 day hunger strike, which involved 26 strikers, more than 100 solidarity fasters, and thousands of supporters.

For further comments from the Campaign, please contact Emily Filler at or

See the Campaign’s website for more information: https://livingwageatuva.org/

Read the University’s entire statement on the budget here: http://www.virginia.edu/uvatoday/newsRelease.php?id=18576

Past Press Releases (PDF):

• Living Wage Campaign Declares Hunger Strike – 2-18-12 – Press Release (PDF)
• UVA Hunger Strike Enters Day 3 with 2 New Strikers – Press Release – 2-20-12 (PDF)
• Day 4 – Strikers March on Madison Hall – Deliver Sullivan’s Own Research In Support of Living Wage – Highlight Contradictions – 2-21-12 (PDF)
• Day 6 – Legal Memo Released – 18 Strike – 2-23-12 (PDF)
• Day 11 – Press Release – 2-28-12 (PDF)
• Day 13 Press Release – 3-1-12 (PDF)
• April 13 – Do The Right Thing at Conference on Ethics (PDF)
• May 23 – Response to New Budget – Direct Employee Raise (PDF)