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Univ. Council endorses plans for improving workers' wages
KRISTEN COULTER
Issue date: 9/28/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The University Council endorsed Thursday a proposal to increase the Univ-ersity's minimum hiring rate and improve the status of temporary workers.
The plans, presented by the Ad Hoc Committee on the Pay and Benefits of Low Wage Employees, are aimed at "improving the personal and professional lives of staff, particularly low wage staff," said Nancy Felson, the proposal's presenter during its afternoon meeting.
The council agreed with the recommendation to raise the minimum hiring rate from $20,000 per year to $24,000.
She expressed "a concern that people are being kept at the temporary level to save money."
In its endorsement, the council approved the plan to move some temporary workers into benefit-eligible positions after an unspecified period.
The council also approved the recommendation to pay temporary workers the same amount as regular workers for similar positions.
Andy Herod, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee and an Athens-Clarke County commissioner, endorsed the plan and called it "a very complicated issue."
About 15 supporters of the committee's plan attended the meeting. They brought supportive posters and handed out fliers that read "Living Wages are Just."
In other business, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Tim Burgess discussed the University's response to the Board of Regents' decision to require background checks for full-time hires.
Burgess said the University's reaction is a "continuing and evolving discussion."
Because the Board of Regents has altered its suggestions for background checks, Burgess said it will take the University a while to devise a plan.
"We're unsure when we'll have an actionable policy."
The plans, presented by the Ad Hoc Committee on the Pay and Benefits of Low Wage Employees, are aimed at "improving the personal and professional lives of staff, particularly low wage staff," said Nancy Felson, the proposal's presenter during its afternoon meeting.
The council agreed with the recommendation to raise the minimum hiring rate from $20,000 per year to $24,000.
She expressed "a concern that people are being kept at the temporary level to save money."
In its endorsement, the council approved the plan to move some temporary workers into benefit-eligible positions after an unspecified period.
The council also approved the recommendation to pay temporary workers the same amount as regular workers for similar positions.
Andy Herod, a member of the Ad Hoc Committee and an Athens-Clarke County commissioner, endorsed the plan and called it "a very complicated issue."
About 15 supporters of the committee's plan attended the meeting. They brought supportive posters and handed out fliers that read "Living Wages are Just."
In other business, Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Tim Burgess discussed the University's response to the Board of Regents' decision to require background checks for full-time hires.
Burgess said the University's reaction is a "continuing and evolving discussion."
Because the Board of Regents has altered its suggestions for background checks, Burgess said it will take the University a while to devise a plan.
"We're unsure when we'll have an actionable policy."
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