Building services, dining and maintenance workers at NIU are urging the university's administration to settle a union contract. The employees are represented by AFSCME Local 963. Their negotiations for a new contract began in March and the previous agreement expired at the end of June. Several workers spoke at Thursday's Board of Trustees meeting. Tina Montavon works in dining services. She says staffers are essential employees and should be fairly compensated.
“It’s high time you realize the employees at the bottom are just as important as the employees at the top. We are Huskie strong when we work together. Isn’t that the best for everyone?”
According to a news release issued by the union, Patrick Sheridan, a food services laborer and president of AFSCME Local 963 says employees go above and beyond. “We’ve lost 20% of our staff in recent years—50% in some positions—because wages are so low. Only when we’re paid what we’re worth will NIU be able to hire and keep the staff we need.”
A spokesperson for the university says NIU is actively bargaining in good faith with representation from the union.