The SFS alumni have heard that it’s crunch time and they are getting organized.  If you are a Miami alum, we need you now!  Please sign the following petition and then email us if you want to get more involved

“Until Miami University implements a living wage policy as outlined in the Students for Staff Proposal for a Living Wage, we will withhold donations to the University. Additionally, we will encourage fellow alums and potential future donors to withhold contributions to a University that seems to love and honor the poverty wages it forces on the very workers that make it successful.

We will instead contribute our money to fund efforts by Miami students and workers to organize themselves to win a living wage for everyone employed by our alma mater.”

http://www.petitiononline.com/MUalumni/petition.html

At a recent meeting (April 15th, 2008) with President Hodge, Students for Staff requested that Pres. Hodge make a personal commitment to implement our living wage proposal.   His response?   “No”

So, we asked him to designate a living wage as a fiscal priority.  Again, he said “No”.

President Hodge has said that the staff are the heart and soul of the university but he won’t acknowledge that a living wage should be a priority!

What did he say at this meeting?  “A living wage will be a part of the discussion during negotiations next year.”

That’s right, folks.  Next year is union contract negotiations and we all need to be behind the staff 100% during this time.  We won’t just make a living wage part of the discussion, we will make it part of the reality.  Are you ready?

We’ve released the proposal for a Living Wage at Miami. Read it here!

This Tuesday at 10am, we are sending a delegation of students, faculty, and staff to President Hodge, asking him to implement a Living Wage at Miami. Do you want him to stop Miami from paying poverty wages? Then contact him:

Phone: (513) 529-2346

E-mail: hodgedc@muohio.edu

You are welcome to say the following:

“Hi, my name is _______. I am calling today to inform you of my support for the Living Wage proposal developed by Students For Staff. I believe that paying poverty wages at Miami is morally indefensible, and must stop immediately. I urge you, President Hodge, to agree to implement the Living Wage proposal at the April 15th meeting with Students For Staff.”

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On Monday, University Senate passed a resolution in support of a living wage for Miami’s full-time staff. While this resolution is non-binding, it does signify serious community support for a living wage policy at Miami. Specifically, University Senate urges President Hodge to implement a living wage at Miami. U. Senate is made up of representatives of faculty, students, staff, and administrators.

Here’s an article about our resolution.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the rally. We estimate that about 80 people came, including students, faculty, staff and some supporters from Cincinnati. We rallied at Shriver Center with some great speakers, including three staff members who shared their stories. Then we marched to Roudebush (the administrative building) where we planted our proposal for a living wage policy and everyone put in their yard signs “For A Living Wage”. Again, thanks to everyone who came to the rally and helped us pull off a great event with an amazing amount of energy. We’ll see you on Tuesday April 8^th at noon for our kickoff at the hub to mark the countdown until our meeting with President Hodge on April 15th.