The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

UIC labor organizations protest presidential salary

Approximately 250 members of student and labor organizations affiliated with the University’s Chicago campus, as well as State Sen. Martin Sandoval, D-12, gathered outside of the University’s Board of Trustees meeting to protest administrative salaries and tuition increases Thursday.

Phil Martini, vice president of the Service Employees International Union Local 73 and protest organizer, said protesters are especially concerned about the $620,000 annual salary that Michael Hogan, who is poised to take over the office of University President on July 1, would receive.

“The increase in the president’s salary was a slap in the face,” Martini said.

Martini cited faculty furloughs and tuition increases, which the University has been using to combat financial problems, as reasons why Hogan’s salary should be lower.

“The guy hasn’t earned one penny yet,” he added.

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Doris Evans, union representative, was at the event to protest Hogan’s salary increase.

“Let him work for at least a year,” she said.

Martini said the protest is an effort to ask Hogan and other administrators to “show true leadership and financial leadership” and reject pay increases.

He said another problem is the loss of about 600 positions over the last decade for working class individuals. These positions, he said, have been renamed “academic professional” positions and now require a college degree, which many of those who previously held the positions do not have.

While the labor organizations have been in negotiations with the University to come to a compromise on these issues, Martini said they “fully intend to strike on the first day of school (Aug. 23)” if no agreement is reached.

While the University’s Urbana campus was not directly involved with the protest, Martini said the involved organizations have “reached out” to Urbana groups and they have a “longtime relationship” between the Urbana and Springfield campuses.

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