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UVM SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE WORKERS NEED A FAIR CONTRACT

UVM SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE WORKERS NEED A FAIR CONTRACT

After five months of negotiations, the administration is still insisting on:

* A minimum start rate that is $2.00 less than a Livable Wage for a Single
Person
* Keeping wage increases for most of UE members below the rate of
inflation
* Increased co-payments to go to the doctor or the hospital
* The right to take away retirees’ health insurance supplement

In addition, the administration is unwilling to set minimum standards for subcontractors. This means that construction workers and food service workers at UVM could be paid minimum wage and no benefits. UVM has the ability to stop the race to the bottom by signing a fair contract and
instituting a campus-wide Livable Wage policy that applies to all UVM employee and subcontractors.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Sign a postcard at
http://www.uevermont.org/267/2006postcard.php

or email Interim President Bramley at: John.Bramley -at- uvm.edu

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: After months of negotiations and a contract expiration date of July 1st, 2006, service and maintenance workers at UVM are still struggling to secure a fair contract. There is a tremendous amount of growth
happening on the UVM campus. We see the buildings going up. We see the increased enrollments. We see the tuition increases.

We suspect that students wouldn’t come here if there weren’t faculty to teach. We also believe that they won’t come—or won’t return—if their dorms and classrooms aren’t clean, if the heat doesn’t come on, if the lights don’t work, if they can’t receive mail or can’t catch a shuttle to class.

UE members do thousands of big and little tasks each day that make this campus safe and pleasant for other employees and students. We believe that the students respect our members for this work and we want to believe that the
administration respects us for this work.

Respect for the work UE members do must be more than just a pat on the back. It must include fair wage increases for all, and an end to poverty wages for
the lowest paid employees. It must include protection of our benefits. It must include increased scrutiny of the use of subcontractors on this campus. It should not be the case that UVM is subcontracting work because it is easier
for management, or cheaper due to poverty wages paid to employees of subcontractors. Respect for our work means a fair contract now.

Sign a postcard at http://www.uevermont.org/267/2006postcard.php or email
Interim President Bramley at: John.Bramley -at- uvm.edu

United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE)
416 Pine Street, Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 658-6788
UE -at- UEVermont.org
www.UEVermont.org