Carrying signs reading “No back pay? No way!” and shouting “No contract? No peace!,” several dozen members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 698 made their presence and grievances known Friday afternoon before the University’s Lincoln Hall press conference.

The union, which represents approximately 395 employees ranging from laboratory technicians to farm laborers, has been without a contract with the University for nearly a year. It expired last August and multiple meetings between the two parties have failed to produce a new one both sides can agree on.

With the negotiations deadlocked, Local 698 reached out to University President B. Joseph White on Friday hoping for an open mind and a receptive ear.

“The University came in and basically forced us into taking their last offer,” Chief Negotiator for Local 698 Victor Osuna said explaining the union’s situation to White. “Now what they have on the table is unfair considering that the top administrators of this University just got anywhere between a $10, $15 to $20,000 a year raise. There is plenty of money being given out to the administrators of this University and when it comes down to the people that work and keep this University going there’s a major problem on getting a contract done.”

White listened to the workers’ concerns and responded.

“I don’t relate to that number but if that’s your assertion, clearly you have your facts straight,” White replied.

Both the University and Local 698 will meet for federal mediation on July 25.

There are 12 unions on campus representing approximately 3,700 employees and at the moment Local 698 is not alone in its contract negotiations. The Teamsters Local 26, the Graduate Employees Union and visiting academic professionals are or will be in negotiations with the University.

Currently the University has offered Local 698 a three-year contract with a two percent pay raise for the first year. However, the raises would not extend to last fall when the previous contract ended. Moreover, for the last two years raises would be one and a half percent less than those given to academic professionals and other employees, union President Tim McGuire said.

In spite of the stalled talks, union members were thankful for White’s quick visit and hoped it would bring about some change. Making no concrete promises, White said he too hopes for a conclusion both groups would respect.

“It sounds like we are at an impasse,” White said. “I think we need to get back at it and come together to come up with a fair settlement so everyone can go back to work.”