Rally Against Wage Cuts

When state legislators passed the State Budget on May 31st U of I campus workers were optimistic. The University received a 2.76% increase in its overall operating budget and appropriations of $641,354,200 for employees’ wages.

In total, the budget promised workers at the University of Illinois a 3% salary increase for 2008/09. Certainly not a cost of living increase, but competitive with other state institutions and much needed by many campus workers.

However, University of Illinois President Joseph White had different ideas about how to use the funds allocated for employees’ much needed salary increases. Instead of giving employees 3 percent, White announced on July 24th that the University could only afford to give increases of 1.5% to 2%.

Join UIUC building service workers, food service workers, clerical workers, graduate employees, faculty, and student workers at noon on August 21st to ask Pres. White: “Where has the money gone?”