2008 Woodie Awards
Posssible strike by UW staff
Better wages: members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 925 propose a six percent increase by 2005 and a four percent increase by July, 2006.
Ericka Skolrood
Issue date: 10/8/04 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Staff members from all three University of Washington campuses are in the process of signing a petition to go on strike if they do not receive pay raises with the new contract.
Classified staff and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 925, have not received a pay increase for three years.
On August 5, several staff members from UWT and a few from the Seattle campus decided to have an informational picket in front of the UWT campus.
Members picketing that day were all part of SEIU Local 925.
The staff members used their lunch hour to inform the public why they are not happy with their current contract.
The members chanted several different demands through their bullhorns as they marched in a circle in front of the UWT campus.
Among the chants were, "What do we want?" "Affordable Healthcare," and "When do we want it?" "Now."
The SEIU is the largest union in the nation with a total of over 1.6 million members. The union represents public service workers that include information specialists, accountants, administrative assistants and more.
The SEIU is in the midst of bargaining their salary for the next pay increase period. The Union Bargaining Team is asking the university for a 10 percent wage increase.
The Union proposal calls for a six percent increase in July 2005 and a four percent increase in July, 2006.
"This is an incredibly reasonable proposal, given that classified staff are in the midst of a three year wage freeze and our health care costs are skyrocketing," says Lisa Rankin, SEIU Local 925 Chapter President and an Admissions Specialist.
In July of 2003 and July of 2004, the university gave a two percent raise to all UW employees, but not to the classified staff members of the SEIU.
"This was just another slap in the face," says Rankin.
A member of Local 925, Keith Ward, has been working for the University of Washington for a total of 18 years - two years have been at the Tacoma campus running the copy center.
"Healthcare goes up, cost of living goes up, gas prices go up, yet pay doesn't go up," says Ward, who also joined in the picketing.
Ward says his healthcare has nearly tripled in the past four years.
During the picketing, all participants signed a letter explaining why they are unhappy. Union President Rankin took the letter to UWT interim chancellor Steve Olswang's office to explain the needs of the staff.
Olswang's response, according to Rankin, was that the administration board told him bargaining was going well.
The union needs two-thirds of the membership to sign a strike petition to go on strike.
"We don't want to have to go that route," says Rankin. But she believes they have no other choice.
Classified staff and members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 925, have not received a pay increase for three years.
On August 5, several staff members from UWT and a few from the Seattle campus decided to have an informational picket in front of the UWT campus.
Members picketing that day were all part of SEIU Local 925.
The staff members used their lunch hour to inform the public why they are not happy with their current contract.
The members chanted several different demands through their bullhorns as they marched in a circle in front of the UWT campus.
Among the chants were, "What do we want?" "Affordable Healthcare," and "When do we want it?" "Now."
The SEIU is the largest union in the nation with a total of over 1.6 million members. The union represents public service workers that include information specialists, accountants, administrative assistants and more.
The SEIU is in the midst of bargaining their salary for the next pay increase period. The Union Bargaining Team is asking the university for a 10 percent wage increase.
The Union proposal calls for a six percent increase in July 2005 and a four percent increase in July, 2006.
"This is an incredibly reasonable proposal, given that classified staff are in the midst of a three year wage freeze and our health care costs are skyrocketing," says Lisa Rankin, SEIU Local 925 Chapter President and an Admissions Specialist.
In July of 2003 and July of 2004, the university gave a two percent raise to all UW employees, but not to the classified staff members of the SEIU.
"This was just another slap in the face," says Rankin.
A member of Local 925, Keith Ward, has been working for the University of Washington for a total of 18 years - two years have been at the Tacoma campus running the copy center.
"Healthcare goes up, cost of living goes up, gas prices go up, yet pay doesn't go up," says Ward, who also joined in the picketing.
Ward says his healthcare has nearly tripled in the past four years.
During the picketing, all participants signed a letter explaining why they are unhappy. Union President Rankin took the letter to UWT interim chancellor Steve Olswang's office to explain the needs of the staff.
Olswang's response, according to Rankin, was that the administration board told him bargaining was going well.
The union needs two-thirds of the membership to sign a strike petition to go on strike.
"We don't want to have to go that route," says Rankin. But she believes they have no other choice.