2008 Woodie Awards
The Livable Wage Debate
SAM MARON and SHANE CLARK
Issue date: 12/5/06 Section: Letters to the Editor
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Point: Fogel has failed the University
SAM MARON
CO-COORDINATOR OF THE STUDENT LABOR ACTION PROJECT (SLAP)
President Fogel has failed the University of Vermont. He has failed the students, the community, and most importantly, he has failed the workers.
When I walked into the final meeting of the Basic Needs and Equitable Compensation task force (BNEC) on November 30, 2006, I was optimistic. I was frustrated that it had taken so long, but was happy with the Task Force recommendation and was prepared for some positive signs from Fogel and his administration. Instead, he stonewalled.
In answering a question by professor Ross Thomson, Fogel said that he was taking no further action on livable wages.
The task force was appointed to research and present a recommendation concerning low-wage workers. It did just that and came to the conclusion that all workers on campus should earn at least $12.28 an hour and that benefits should be maintained. The new contract for the service and maintenance workers establishes a wage floor of $10.60. This is not a livable wage!
Fogel has denied, discounted, and discredited six months of hard work by the task force, and it is completely unacceptable. It is disgusting that he can walk into a room of faculty, administrators, staff, students and community members and tell them that all of their work was in vain. It is disgusting that he wants to continue telling the lowest-paid workers that they should be happy that they have a job at the great institution of UVM. It
is disgusting that Fogel is willing to let workers continue to live in poverty on our campus.
As a student, I want to know that the people making this school run are respected. Right now they are not, and I am angry. A livable wage is a basic human right. If you work a full time job, you deserve at least enough to meet all of your basic needs. Workers can't eat prestige!
President Fogel has failed the University of Vermont, and he should be ashamed of himself. He had an opportunity to bring UVM out on top, and instead he has left us at the
SAM MARON
CO-COORDINATOR OF THE STUDENT LABOR ACTION PROJECT (SLAP)
President Fogel has failed the University of Vermont. He has failed the students, the community, and most importantly, he has failed the workers.
When I walked into the final meeting of the Basic Needs and Equitable Compensation task force (BNEC) on November 30, 2006, I was optimistic. I was frustrated that it had taken so long, but was happy with the Task Force recommendation and was prepared for some positive signs from Fogel and his administration. Instead, he stonewalled.
In answering a question by professor Ross Thomson, Fogel said that he was taking no further action on livable wages.
The task force was appointed to research and present a recommendation concerning low-wage workers. It did just that and came to the conclusion that all workers on campus should earn at least $12.28 an hour and that benefits should be maintained. The new contract for the service and maintenance workers establishes a wage floor of $10.60. This is not a livable wage!
Fogel has denied, discounted, and discredited six months of hard work by the task force, and it is completely unacceptable. It is disgusting that he can walk into a room of faculty, administrators, staff, students and community members and tell them that all of their work was in vain. It is disgusting that he wants to continue telling the lowest-paid workers that they should be happy that they have a job at the great institution of UVM. It
is disgusting that Fogel is willing to let workers continue to live in poverty on our campus.
As a student, I want to know that the people making this school run are respected. Right now they are not, and I am angry. A livable wage is a basic human right. If you work a full time job, you deserve at least enough to meet all of your basic needs. Workers can't eat prestige!
President Fogel has failed the University of Vermont, and he should be ashamed of himself. He had an opportunity to bring UVM out on top, and instead he has left us at the
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