On May 15, administrators of several public universities across Oregon told members of the Service Employees International Union they would see no raises for at least two years. SEIU represents classified staff at public universities — from dining hall cooks to library technicians.
The University of Oregon employs approximately 1,500 service workers across campus. Many employees have worked at the university for years and expressed frustration at the wage freeze proposal.
“Gas prices are going up, food prices are going up, everything is going up except our wages. Our cost of living isn’t being matched,” Carla Hastie, who has worked in UO Dining Services for two decades, said. “For a long time the university got away with not paying us much and now they are realizing they are going to have to or we are going to strike.”…