This Monday, we gathered together to discuss their working conditions and how their wages impact them. In our pre-event survey, we heard from over 150 staff about their experiences living on the low wages paid to highly qualified people, like us, here at the University of Michigan. One USU Member shared that “Between my student loans, rent, and groceries, my partner and I are barely making it work. I work 6 days a week between two jobs and we are putting grocery bills on credit cards… We have often shorted ourselves on groceries between paychecks.” This is a familiar sentiment for UM Staff, USU members and non-members alike. You can review the slides, and other quotes from your colleagues below… (or view in Google Slides)
A recognized union will give us a seat at the table to demand more from our employer. We deserve to make a living wage commiserate with the cost of living in the area where we work. We deserve to be compensated fairly for professional development and higher education qualifications. We deserve raises that keep up with the cost of inflation, period. Imagine what could be possible in your own life if you weren’t living pay-check to pay-check. Then come back to reality and look at what other workers have won through their unions – the graphic below shows raises won by other unionized groups on UMs campuses:
Now is the time for us to band together and fight for change. Change in our working conditions, change in our compensation, change in how management treats us. Now is the time to sign your card to become a member of USU.