Staff Assembly group advises raising pay of hourly workers
The group wants to ensure that all university employees receive a living wage. However, economic conditions may make it difficult to implement its recommendation.
By Amy Johnson
Staff Reporter

Staff Assembly members called on the executive committee Tuesday to push for higher pay despite Chancellor Michael Ferrari’s remarks that new funding is not likely due to rough economic times.

Karen Baker, chairwoman of the Staff Assembly, said the executive committee will meet on Friday to consider the proposals and feedback from the meeting. Then, the committee will develop a letter to the chancellor with recommendations concerning salary and benefit adjustments, she said. Baker said she hopes the proposal will reach Ferrari by mid-November.

Ferrari said although new funding is not likely, it’s still important to do financial studies in an effort to continue moving forward as a university. But as promised, he said, the university will increase retirement contributions for hourly employees from 10.5 to 11.5 percent, which will make retirement contributions equal for all staff beginning next year.

Tara Pope, Staff Assembly secretary, said her proposal calls for an increase in entry-level wages from $8 an hour to $9 an hour with a minimum $1 raise for older employees whose wages were not raised at the same time as entry level workers. Despite limited available funds, some staff are still concerned that many TCU employees aren’t being paid enough to live above poverty levels.

According to a study conducted by the national Universal Living Wage organization, the estimated living wage in the Fort Worth/Arlington area is $10.50 an hour based on renting a one-bedroom apartment.

Pope said many employees do not receive a living wage. The starting salary for housekeepers and groundskeepers is $8 an hour, she said.

The concept of a living wage is that people who work should not live in poverty, Pope said. A living wage is distinguished from a national minimum wage because it’s based on the cost of living in a particular city and varies throughout the country, she said.

“If you work full time, whatever your job is, it’s essential that you should be able to support you and your family on one income,” she said. “It’s neither ethical nor responsible to pay wages that keep people working in poverty.”

The wage for hourly entry-level workers was increased from $5.73 to $7.25 an hour in 2000, and from $7.25 to $8 an hour in June this year.

“We are a university with a mission statement that says our mission is ‘to educate individuals to think and act as ethical leaders and responsible citizens in the global community,’” Pope said. “We need to realize that community starts at home. It starts right here.” Mary Lane, assistant to the dean in the School of Education, said the salaries of administrative assistants have been compressed, and need to be compensated by the university. Salary compression occurs when the salaries of entry-level workers are raised and near or exceed those of older employees.

“Given a perfect world with unlimited funds available, I would agree with the living wage concept,” she said. “The reality is that this is a tight money year and tough choices must be made. I recommend the Staff Assembly set as a priority compensating administrative assistants by a one-time adjustment with university funds.”

Lane said in the past open positions in the field have been difficult to fill because administrative assistants are not paid according to their skills.

“As the economy improves, TCU must be in a position to hire high-quality, qualified administrative assistants,” she said. “Hiring and retaining smart, savvy administrative support staff is absolutely a necessity for the smooth and efficient operation of the university.”

Amy Johnson