UCW-CWA has been working hard to win a decent pay raise for Tennessee's higher education workers. Dozens of UCW members have taken leave time to lobby members of the General Assembly in Nashville, and more post cards and emails are sent each day. Through this work we have sharpened our understanding of this year's budget situation. It is still too early for any final determinations, but the raise forecast does not look promising.

Sales tax figures have been down, and according to the state Finance department, the budget shortfall rose to 276 million in March.

When UCW-CWA launched our 2008 Campaign for UT's Working families we called for a 4% or $1500 raise for all employees, regardless of income. At this point, we have concluded that it is not feasible to expect such a raise this year.

Some in the General Assembly have gone on record saying that it will be a struggle simply to fund the 2% raise proposal contained in the Governor's budget. If a 2% across-the-board pay increase is all that the Legislature is willing to consider, we believe that such limited funding should be distributed in a way that benefits the overwhelming majority of UT employees.

With a 2% across-the-board raise, the highest paid UT employees will still receive thousands of dollars for individual raises, while the vast majority of employees scrape by with barely a few hundred more dollars in our families' budgets. We believe that instead of some again having to have to settle for so little, this is a time that all should be asked to sacrifice.

UCW-CWA has learned that based on salary figures in August of 2007 the cost of a 2% pay increase at UT would be equal to the cost of a flat $1200 raise. In other words, if the Legislature passes funding for a 2% pay raise, those same monies could be directed so that all UT employees would receive a minimum increase of $1200. That is $100 a month, and it would make a world of difference for the majority of UT employees. In fact, nearly 75% of all UT employees system wide stand to benefit if the monies were distributed equitably as a flat dollar amount, seeing a raise larger than what we would receive with a percentage only plan.*

The time to act is now - please contact your legislators and ask them not to cut the 2%, and to distribute it in a way that benefits the overwhelming majority of UT employees!

*Statistics taken from the UT Budget Document

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

UT workers understand that the economy is not doing well. We feel it at the grocery store and the gas pump. We understand that the budget situation looks equally grim, and in times like these Tennesseans are willing to make sacrifices. However, such sacrifices should be shared. If a 2% across-the-board pay increase is all that we will be able to count on from the state, I believe that such limited funding should be distributed in a way that benefits the majority of UT employees.

According to the 2007 UT Budget Document, 74% of all regular, full-time staff and faculty system-wide earn $60,000 or less, while 14% earn more than $80,000. When raises are distributed solely on a percentage basis, the 14% of the workforce making more than $80,000 receives 34% of the total money allocated to improve pay.

Based on August 2007 salary figures, a 2% pay increase would be equal to the cost of an across-the board $1200 raise. Nearly 75% of all UT employees stand to benefit if the monies are distributed as a flat dollar amount.

We need your commitment to see that the limited monies the state can allocate for pay raises benefit the majority of UT employees.

Please support this flat dollar amount raise proposal, and fight to ensure that all Tennessee public higher education employees receive a decent cost-of-living pay raise this year!

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
March 10, 2008