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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1978)
University employees voice complaints: Wages and benefits —too low, too little Battalion Classified Call 845-2611 THE BATTALION Page 9 WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1978 "NeEd’UASH?! We pay cash for J* used booksl Loupot’s Bookstore! j Northgate - Acrosp from the Post Office * 1- ualei: iree ft AS 1 ie lie! n Sli Mitel By JEANNE LOPEZ Texas A&M University employs more than 1,500 clerical and se cretarial workers. Although their ti tles, duties, responsibilities and salaries differ, their complaints are the same: the salaries are not enough, some of the employee ben efits are not desirable and merit raises are too few. “It gets pretty depressing when I think Hey, I’ve got a college degree and I’m working for $3.02 an hour,”’ said Ann, a secretary who holds a Bachelor of Science degree. Her husband attends the University. “All employees must start their jobs at the first step of pay for their title regardless of past experience,” said Wayne Terrell, wage and salary classification manager for Texas A&M. Nancy, a senior secretary, ex plained her resentment for this pol icy. “I came here five years ago from the Detroit, Mich., area where I made $3.90 an hour. I had profit- sharing and my insurance was fully paid. I had to start here at $2.47 an hour despite my past working exeri- ence. “Now, five years later, I am being paid $3.95 an hour. I pay $33.10 a “It gets pretty depressing when I think ‘Hey, I’ve got a college degree and I’m work ing here for $3.02 an hour’.” — Ann, secretary at Texas A&M University. month for group medical insurance while the University pays $15 to ward the insurance,” she said. Like so many others, Nancy’s husband is employed by the Uni versity, so she continues to stay. But she is quick to add that she likes her job. The department head she works for is appreciative of her work and the people around her are nice, she said. “If it weren’t for them, I would have quit long ago,” Nancy said. Texas A&M determines wage rates based on the local job market in College Station and Bryan. “We’re not concerned with what other universities pay their em ployees, but we want to match the salaries the local businesses pay,” Terrel said. “There have been com plaints that we pay less, and others say they can’t keep up with us.” Several local businesses refused to release salary and benefit infor mation, but a spokesman for the Texas Employment Commission said that the salaries of the Univer sity and local businesses average about the same. “It wouldn’t be fair just to com pare our salaries with anyone out side the University without looking at the total package of benefits we offer,” Terrell said. Benefits offered by the University include vacations for first-year em ployees, maternity leave and sick leave. Medical hospitalization and long-term disability insurance are offered at low group rates to em ployees. The University requires that all employees be covered by life insurance. The state of Texas will pay up to $15 toward all insurance except the mandatory life insurance. Also included in the benefit pack age is mandatory participation in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, a state agency for retirement benefits. Five dollars is put into the fund each year for the employee’s membership in the retirement sys tem. Also, 6.65 percent of his gross monthly salary is deducted for re tirement. “The state puts 7.5 percent into each person’s retirement,” said Tom Goss, employee benefits represen tative for Texas A&M. “If an em ployee decided to leave the Univer sity and not go to another educa tional agency, he can get the money back with 5 percent interest.” Several secretaries are not happy with the retirement fund system. “J resent being forced to partici pate in a retirement fund that pays less than a savings and loan,” Nancy said. “I especially resent being forced to participate in a teachers’ program when I’m not a teacher.” The retirement fund pays 5 per cent a year. Savings and loan com panies pay up to 5.25 percent a year on ordinary savings deposits. Another senior secretary, Paula, attends evening classes at the Uni versity, and her husband also is a student. Mon.-Fri. 10-8:30 • Sat. 10-6 lm ToL Manor East Mall Texas Ave. at Villa Maria (U/l m ...(son (ooltiow you out oltond. Junior Jeans and Woven Shirts Woven Shirts 6"„ 16” Short sleeve shirts in pastel plaids and patterns. Pocket, shoulder and collar accents in poly/cotton blends and 100% cotton. Sizes S-AA-L. Jr. Jeans 14" 25 00 Fashion and basic cotton denim jeans in regular and pre-washed styles. Cinch waist, tie fronts, and belt loop styles in sizes 5 to 15. “Though I’ll be getting the money back when I leave, we really could use it now,” she said. “Most stu dents need all they can get.” The University provides for a standard wage pay raise at the first of the year, Terrell said. It is re warded regardless of the quality of work done. Merit raises on the basis “Z resent being forced to par ticipate in a retirement fund that pays less than a savings and loan. I especially resent being forced to participate in a teachers’ program when I’m not a teacher.” — Nancy, secretary at Texas A&M Uni versity. operating fund,” Nancy said. “The University does not put any money in just for merit raises.” One department head explained that purchases for the department deplete funds that might go to se cretarial and clerical raises. He said that “Money seems to be tight everywhere.” One secretary said that it seemed that supervisors were closing their eye to good work because they can’t afford to raise the pay.” “I’ve worked in two different de partments, and in neither one has there been praise for good work,” Paula said. Nancy said, “Many of the people here at the University are here only because they have to be. Either work for these wages or don’t work at all.” Ann’s comments were the same. “When you get to mumbling and grumbling about it, you’ve got to think about it, there’s not much you can do in a college town.“ Wage Rates Clerk typist I Clerk I Clerk II Clerk III Clerk Typist II Secretary Bilingual Secretary Senior Secretary k qui it ha tent if it has the money, he added. “I had one merit raise and that was taken out of the deartmental In celebrating our 1st year in our new location, we want to express our thanks to the Bryan-College Station area for letting us serve you! Ann, Coke, Connie, Diane, Kay a 8c m travel service Something Special Monterey jfjl j* ^ tfMMff REG* 3.50 2 69 REG* 2.95 Fiesta otnnfjr Enchilada -l 99 FfcllMIVFr? [ Reg* ? * 1 ** <mHR* 2.45k 111 UNIVERSITY DRIVE travel anywhere, anyplace, anytime 846-8881 Thursday, May 4 4-10 P.M. 3733 E. 29th ST. ONLY Special group of merchandise and one of a kind items Belts $ J 00 Men’s Shirts $goo Girls’ Tops $2®o Women’s Sweaters & Jackets $goo Men’s Jackets $ 10 00 Vests $£00 Boys’) Shirts $£00 Men’s Jeans $g00 Coordinates $ 10 00 DON’T MISS THIS ONE! coj , / ^Lcvrar TOP DRAWER 1705 Texas Ave. S./Culpepper Baza 3733 E. 29th St.fTown 5 Coentry Canter VISA* ALL SALES FINAL Wednesday Only RECORD COLLECTION 33 Vs SALE All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list priice All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price AH Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price All Albums & tapes Vs off list price AH Albums & tapes Vs off list price Sale Runs Through Friday, May 12 RECORD COLLECTION 211 University Drive 846-3901