UT Activists Rally to Save Jobs, Higher Education

Hundreds of university employees, members of United Campus Workers-CWA Local 3865, rallied at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville to fight against the proposed budget that would cut jobs and wages for hundreds of support staff and nontenured faculty members and harm quality education.

The group then marched to the president's office and delivered a letter that called on university administration to look at other strategies before laying off workers. Over the past 10 years, top administrative salaries have nearly doubled to $76.1 million, while salaries of operational support workers, including programmers, secretaries, library staff, police force and others, have actually decreased. "Cuts must start at the top, whether those cuts are layoffs, salary or benefit reductions, furloughs or other cost-saving measures," said UCW President Tom Anderson. The average salary of workers slated to be laid off is $23,500 a year.

CWA District 3 Vice President Judy Dennis and CWA Organizing Director Ed Sabol joined Anderson, union members and students in the march to the president's office.  

The governor wants to cut $61 million from higher education, and university administrators have targeted lower-paid workers for layoff. UCW says that's unfair and shortsighted, citing the university's own research that shows that for every one job at the university, at least two additional jobs are created in nearby communities.

UCW represents 1,000 university workers at seven University of Tennessee campuses. Union members will hold a lobby day with state legislators in March.

Photo Caption: Hundreds of University of Tennessee employees, members of United Campus Workers-CWA Local 3865, rallied against the proposed budget that would cut jobs and harm quality education.