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News :: Civil & Human Rights : Economy : Education : Health : Labor |
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UIUC's McKinley Health Center: “Still No Agreement on Radiographers” |
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by AFSCME Council 31 via email
(No verified email address) |
24 Sep 2004
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"We have shown the University that the Radiographers are grossly underpaid according to community, state, and national standards. In fact one of the three radiographers quit and took another job in the community and received a $5.00 an hour increase in wages as a new hire at a different medical facility in town. That employee will be making more than the radiographer at McKinley with over fifteen years of service. To date McKinley has been unable to fill the vacant position.” |
Gregg Homerding, President of AFSCME Local 698, representing over 400 technical and professional workers at the University of Illinois, announced through a press release today that the Local Union would conduct an informational picket at the McKinley Health Care Center on Tuesday September 28, from 11:30 AM until 1:30 PM.
Homerding said, “We are conducting this picket to inform the University community that we still don’t have an agreement with the U of I for the Radiographers at McKinley Health Center. We have been at the table for over sixteen months now and the U of I has yet to change their position on wages. We have shown the University that the Radiographers are grossly underpaid according to community, state, and national standards. In fact one of the three radiographers quit and took another job in the community and received a $5.00 an hour increase in wages as a new hire at a different medical facility in town. That employee will be making more than the radiographer at McKinley with over fifteen years of service. To date McKinley has been unable to fill the vacant position.”
Jerry L. Wright, Staff Representative with AFSCME Council 31, the lead negotiator for Local 698 said, “According to Scanner, a publication of the American Society of Radiologic Technologist the average wage in the United States in 2001 was $25.40 an hour, up from $20.89 an hour in 1997. The average hourly rate for a Radiographer today at the U of I is $16.32, significantly below the national average in 1997. Wright went on to quote the Scanner saying, “The average wage in Illinois for 2004 is $24.55 an hour, more than $8.00 an hour more than the U of I is paying their radiographers.”
Wright also said, “Our members work for one of the most prestigious higher educational institutions in the United States. An institution that took in an additional $550,000 in student fees at McKinley this year compared to last year and they won’t even pay their employees close to the community standard, they should be ashamed of them selves.” Wright concluded his comments by saying, “This is the first of several actions the Union intends to take to bring the plight of these workers to the attention of the students, University leadership and the community.” |
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