UW-Madison students will get a say in how much some university employees are paid during this week's Associated Students of Madison online elections. The elections occur every year and serve the primary purpose of selecting student representatives to serve in student government.
This year, however, a referendum is on the ballot that asks students how they feel about increasing the pay of UW-Madison limited time employees working at Memorial Union, Union South, the Natatorium, SERF, the Shell and University Health Services. Currently, limited-term employees at these facilities earn $7.25 per hour with no benefits or union representation. The referendum would increase the employees' wages to approximately $10 per hour, with annual adjustment for inflation. The Student Labor Action Coalition and AFSCME Local 171, a campus workers union, both support the referendum, saying it would help raise people who have worked at the university for years above the poverty level. Segregated fees would fund the increase in pay.
