Jacksonville, AL – Jacksonville State University’s recent compensation plan has faced criticism from the UCW-JSU campus union for not adequately addressing the financial needs of campus workers. Despite months of anticipation and promises of raises, many employees were dissatisfied with the results. “After months of anticipation and the promise by university administrators of raises, many employees were unimpressed–even angry–with what they received,” said Lance Ingwersen, co-chair of the campus union. “A 10% raise sounds really good on paper and in board meetings, but for the campus’ lowest-paid hourly workers, a 10% increase translates to about $1 per hour and less than $40 per week.”
The union’s concerns were echoed by workers, including one long-time housekeeper who said, “Really need $15 to keep my head above water,” after the raise, which brought their annual pay to about $27,000, or $13 per hour. This pay increase still falls short of the union’s call for a $17 per hour minimum wage, which the union advocated for in its living wage campaign launched earlier this year.
The union’s criticism centers on wages that are still well below the living wage standard set by the MIT Living Wage Calculator, which estimates that a living wage in Calhoun County, Alabama, is $18.90 per hour for a single individual. In contrast, starting wages for housekeepers at the university remain around $9.54 per hour. “I think that speaks for itself,” said Sarah Donley, co-chair of the campus union, highlighting the stark difference between the university’s wages and those of peer institutions.
The compensation study also falls short in addressing long-standing retention issues within departments such as Building Services. High turnover and absenteeism continue to plague the university, with 74 housekeepers, 30 groundskeepers, and over a dozen HVAC technicians replaced between March 2021 and March 2024. Despite efforts to hire more workers, vacancies persist, with some shifts running at a fraction of their required staffing levels. The union argues that higher wages could alleviate these challenges and help the university retain staff.
The university’s compensation study aimed to promote competitive salaries and internal equity but has been criticized for its narrow focus. For example, recent 2% cost-of-living adjustments have not kept pace with inflation, further exacerbating pay disparities. Workers earning lower salaries see much smaller increases compared to higher-paid administrators, contributing to inequity on campus.
The union also pointed out that certain groups of workers, such as student employees and adjunct instructors, were excluded from the compensation study. Student workers remain at a stagnant wage of $8.25 per hour, while adjunct faculty earn between $2,000-$2,500 per class without benefits, with some instructors earning less than $10,000 annually.
As staff workers continue to express dissatisfaction with the lack of significant wage improvements, the union is calling for immediate action. “The university must take meaningful steps to establish a living wage for all employees now, not at some indefinite point in the future,” said Ingwersen. With mounting disillusionment among staff, the union warns that without changes, the university risks losing more workers to institutions that offer fairer, more competitive wages.
