Letter from the Editor: SEIU Local 200UNITED Shares Grievances With Administration
The SEIU Local 200United union, which represents food service and facility staff at St. Lawrence University, has written a letter to members of the administration voicing their concerns about the latest round of contract negotiations. They rightfully feel disrespected by the demands of the university, which include giving back pensions, health insurance and benefit time. In return SLU is offering a one percent pay raise, which would effectively result in a cut to wages for staff.
I believe this is a gross disregard for the hard work these staff members do each day to make our experience here the best it can be. They truly care about us and in return for their efforts are being asked to take cuts to their pay while President Kathryn Morris received a 70 percent raise from 2023 to 2024 to a salary of $514,877. On page five there is the full letter from SEIU Local 200United and a QR code. I encourage all students, faculty, staff and community members to fill out the QR code to tell the administration that we care for the staff who make our experience here at SLU the best.
A Letter to SLU’s Leadership
To:
-President Morris: president@stlawu.edu
-Kim Asch, Communications and Marketing: kasch@stlawu.edu
-John Christopher, VP and General Counsel: jchristopher@stlawu.edu
-Karl Spiecker: kspiecker@stlawu.edu
Summary: SEIU Local 200United members at St. Lawrence University call on the institution’s administrators to deliver a fair contract to the food service and facility workers that make up the Local 200United unit.
Dear ____________________
I’m writing to you today because I demand the University deliver a fair and sensible contract to the members of SEIU Local 200United. I am a strong supporter of the 200United unit, and am appalled at the University’s conduct at the bargaining table.
Over the last 10 years of contract negotiations, the University has asked 200United union members to give up more and more for less in return. The University’s failure to keep up on pay and other benefits have resulted in very low wages for the facility and food service workers who make up 200United. For example, there are 200United members at St. Lawrence who have worked over 25 years for the University and still only make a few dollars above the living wage. That’s no way to thank hard working staff who have dedicated their careers to serving SLU.
Now, the University is asking the union to once again give back on their pensions, health insurance, and benefit time and offering 1% wage increases in return. Make no mistake, this arrangement would result in a pay cut when the losses in pension, health insurance, and benefit time are factored in. With soaring prices and inflation affecting 200United members, employees who already work paycheck to paycheck with wages below the living wage in St. Lawrence County, the University is putting hard working union members in a very dangerous financial predicament whereby simply paying their bills and feeding their children will become very difficult, if not impossible.
The union is perfectly clear and sober-minded about the financial challenges facing SLU. In fact, the union is willing to do their part to help find the University savings (such as being accountable for replacing uniforms and showing a willingness to shop around for a less expensive health plan). However, the University cannot deliver the world class experience that the students deserve if they cannot offer a fair contract to our union members- workers who cook student’s food, clean their buildings, and maintain their facilities. With chronic unfilled positions and high turnover, the University must offer fair wage increases to not only keep up with the cost of living, but to be competitive with surrounding employers. If they don’t, the University will continue to face worker shortages and low morale, factors which will negatively impact the student experience. Further, the union finds it unconscionable that during a time of financial constraints, the University would extend raises for administrators and managers and not rank and file workers. The worst example of this is the $600,000+ they pay to the University president. The highly paid bosses at SLU have no problem paying for vacations for their families and enrolling their children in enriching programs. But how can SEIU members who work at SLU afford to take their kids on a vacation or even enroll them in local programs that would bring joy to their lives with such low wages? Sadly, SLU remains an institution where some bosses are literally becoming millionaires while union members struggle to make rent and pay for food.
I’m calling upon you to offer 200United a fair contract that provides the wages and benefits that can make SLU a great place to learn and to work!
From,
SEIU Local 200United.