Workers and Students United, an organization led by University students pushing the institution to pay its employees a living wage, proposed that the Charlottesville City Council pass a resolution to encourage the University to adopt such practices at the April 19 Council meeting.
Erin Franey, third-year College student and leader of WASU, said many University employees must take second or third jobs to support their families. Meanwhile, others commute to Grounds from further localities to live in less expensive areas. Raising the base pay for employees to $11.44 - up from the University's current minimum pay of $10.14 - would increase the salaries of less than 2 percent of employees.
"Our goal is to have the City Council pressure U.Va. to have a living wage," Franey said. "The City of Charlottesville has a living wage, and we want to encourage the University to follow this example."\nAbout 25 students, faculty and community members attended the City Council meeting to support the proposed resolution, she said. Currently, Council members are in the process of writing the actual resolution. Upon its completion, the resolution will be voted on during a Council meeting May 3 at 7 p.m. It will need at least three of five counselor votes to pass.
The resolution would only encourage the University to institute a living wage across the board. Franey added that WASU's move to work with City Council does not exclude the University from the matter.
"This resolution isn't something that is meant to be antagonistic towards the University," Franey said. "It is in the spirit of hope and wanting to continue to collaborate with the University on this issue. It is very much about encouraging the University to take action on living wage in a positive manner."
Throughout the process, Franey said WASU has worked closely with City of Charlottesville Councilor Kristin Szakos in hopes of achieving this goal. Szakos became involved after attending a WASU forum about living wage, at which she expressed interest in drafting a resolution to present to the Council, Franey said.
"It's great that students got involved in community issues," Szakos said. "It's a sign of a good education when students get involved in things beyond their own immediate needs."
Szakos said not only is a living wage appropriate and fair but it also has the potential to improve the local economy. Moreover, she added, by instating a living wage, the University would uphold its responsibility to local community.
"U.Va. has a certain moral obligation as both the largest employer [and the] public body to have a positive effect on a local economy," she said. "I don't mean to say that the University is evil; they do a lot of good things. This is something that would be consistent with the very civic-minded things that they do."
The vote May 3 is WASU's last planned action of the semester, Franey said. The group hopes to engage in a conversation with President-elect Teresa A. Sullivan next semester to discuss how to move forward with the issue.
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