BY PAUL MITCHELL
North Country This Week

CANTON – The union representing employees at St. Lawrence University remains dissatisfied with the University’s stance on increased wages.

Officials at SLU say the contract is fair.

On Thursday, June 8, union officers of the St. Lawrence University unit of SEIU Local 200 United and their staff representative met with the University’s management team to receive the University’s official reply to Local 200 United’s recent wage improvement proposal.

The wage proposal referenced was brought to the University in March and called for an across the board wage increase of $2.00/hour to mitigate the effects of historic inflation, improve the University’s poor retention rates, and boost increasingly low morale, an email from Brian D. Teucke, union representative Central New York stated.

“The union members and staff of SEIU Local 200 United have reminded the University’s management team that because of their refusal to offer even one penny of economic relief to union members, and because they chose to offer a paid holiday to only one half of the unit, the problems of low staffing, low morale, worker burnout, and high turnover will only continue to worsen as time goes on, the email continues.

The union says that since March St. Lawrence University has broadcast how important and valuable their employees are, but have not taken any steps to match the message with “substantive action.”

“It is the union’s position that if the University truly cared about the workers they claim to have such admiration for, they would not allow any form of economic injustice to occur at their institution. While some upper level administrators are becoming wealthy off of their salaries at St. Lawrence, the hourly workers of the SEIU Local 200United bargaining unit are living paycheck to paycheck and struggling to get by. This is an economic injustice and one that the University created.”

University response

St. Lawrence University contends that the contract, which was approved by the union, is fair.

“St. Lawrence University values all of our employees, including the members of the SEIU Local 200. Just last year, the University agreed to a contract with SEIU Local 200 that runs until June 30, 2025 and is honoring the terms of that agreement, which was approved by more than 73 percent of union voters,” stated Kim Asch, director of strategic communications and marketing at the University.

“Through our agreement, the University provides a generous compensation package for SEIU staff including new “longevity” payments which were expressly requested by SEIU in the last round of bargaining. The negotiated pay increases in each year of the agreement, in addition to step increases, provide a competitive total compensation package, and our research also shows that the University’s compensation package including health and dental benefits is consistent with the market.”

She also pointed out that as part of the contract, general increases for all members included 1.5% on January 1, 2022, 2% on July 1 of 2022, 2023, and 2024. In addition, a step increase of $1.50/hour was given on July 1, 2022 to those who had not reached the maximum of their grade. Step increases of $0.50/hour will be given on January 1 and July 1 of 2024, and January 1, 2025 to those who have not reached the maximum of their grade. Two step increases in a single year equate to an annual increase of more than 4% depending on the employee's grade and where they fall within that grade.

“The University looks forward to a continued productive relationship with members of the SEIU Local 200,” said Asch.

Rally held

Teucke said union members shared with management how the low wages earned by union members create severe economic hardships for 200 United members and their families.

As a result, a community petition which supported the wage boost received over 360 signatures and an April rally in Canton Village Park drew more than 150 union members, community supporters, and student supporters who attended to express their solidarity with Local 200United.

“At this rally, bargaining unit members described how they are struggling living paycheck to paycheck and simple expenditures they used to be able to afford are now unaffordable. Despite the union’s reporting and their community support, and despite the management team lauding the first-rate quality of work put forth by 200 United union members, the University decided at the meeting to completely reject the union’s wage proposal,” wrote Teucke.

“The union will continue to push for economic relief and continue to press the University to answer key questions on their actual economic situation until the economic injustice thrust upon 200 United bargaining is rectified.”