How much gas can I afford to put in my car today? Or do I have enough in the tank to get to work? Have I saved up enough sick leave to be able to start a family? Will I be able to pay for my groceries this week or do I need to use a credit card again? Will I be able to get a day off when a family member needs me? Will I ever be able to pay back my student loans? Will I be able to retire? Will I get in trouble if I call in sick today because I have the flu? Will I be called uppity if ask for my earned benefits? Am I going to end up in the ditch trying to get to work when the rest of the city is shut down due to snow? How long will I need 2 jobs to get by?
University of Minnesota workers from Teamsters Local 320 and the AFSCME locals held an informational picket today, Nov. 17 from 2-6 pm for #RaisesAndRespect. These questions are just a few I remember from the many of us who spoke in front of Morrill Hall today, which was interspersed with marching and chanting. ( Hat tip to Kurt Errickson, his speech provided part of the title) These questions point to our “grand challenges”. The University recently started promoting Grand Challenges it wants to solve:
How will we ensure just and equitable societies?
How will we foster human potential and well-being across the life course in a diverse and changing world?
How will we advance human health?
How will we develop sustainable cities and resilient communities in a world of climate change?
How will we provide secure food, water, and energy today and for the future?
We think the administration could easily start with these “at home” by treating front-line workers fairly. Our picket signs told some of the ways they could do this.
Or in one case, an umbrella carried by yours truly.
Currently, unionized staff only gets 2 weeks of paid parental leave, and many of our female co-workers of childbearing age have an extremely difficult time saving up enough sick and vacation time to be able to add to that. If the University really wants to foster human potential, it could start by ensuring all of its workers get enough time with their newborns, not just administration and faculty who do get 6 weeks now.
We could have a more just and equitable society within the University at least if income inequality was reduced. Right now 649 administrators make more than $100,000 while 473 workers make less than $15/hour. Many more of us are only slightly above $15/hour, having endured years of wage freezes and minuscule increases. The general increases offered to us as of now are insultingly microscopic, 0.25% for my local , AFSCME 3937, 0.375% for AFSCME 3800 and 0.75% for the Teamsters. For most of us this amounts to about $3 or $4 per paycheck. Meanwhile , the University has plenty of money to give huge raises to coaches and to settle sexual harassment cases.
Some of us are lucky enough to work in departments where our direct supervisors and co-workers do appreciate and respect us. I count myself one of those, but as one of our speakers observed, we feel very much less respected when we look at our paycheck or bank account. Others are denied even that; Teamsters working for Aramark (food service) reported particularly egregious disrespect related to being able to use sick or vacation time, as well as racist comments from management.
The picket lasted 4 hours. Not all of us were there for the entire time, it was a come for as long as you are able deal. It started out rather slowly in light drizzle.
However, we did get over 200 participants. We also had support from faculty and Students for a Democratic Society. New arrivals and outrage against injustice gave us strength to keep going as the light faded.
One last march after dark, it seemed our voices echoed even louder then. “Who are we?- Teamsters & AFSCME!” “What do we want? -Raises and Respect!” “When do we want it? -NOW!”