Albemarle County employees now will earn at least $8 an hour, after a unanimous vote by the Board of Supervisors at its Wednesday night meeting.
"We were losing valuable workers in a whole number of different fields," Board member Charlotte Humphris said, explaining the county lost minimum-wage employees who work in the technology sector.
To combat the loss of employees, the county identified positions with pay at least 10 percent below the current competitive wage and areas where jobs were most troubled by high turnover.
The county was also "guided by a sense of fairness" in deciding to raise its minimum wage, Humphris said.
The county is not alone in mandating an $8 minimum wage for its employees. The city of Charlottesville has paid a minimum wage of $8 an hour for all full-time employees since July 1, 1999.
Some community leaders said they hope the combination of both county and city workers earning $8 an hour, along with many local businesses paying at least $8 an hour, will influence the University in raising its salary to an $8 "living wage" -- a good enough wage, organizers say, to help support a family of four.
"We did hope by raising wages in the city we might encourage U.Va. to raise its salaries," city councilor Kevin Lynch said.
Lynch said he feels that by not paying University employees the living wage, the Commonwealth has to subsidize University employees through welfare programs since some end up below the poverty line.
Sylvia Strawn, an administrative assistant for the art department and Living Wage Campaign organizer, said she thinks pressure from the local community and local businesses may encourage the University to raise its salary.
Strawn said she thinks the University currently is trying to avoid paying $8 an hour through contracting. The University currently contracts out some of its employees, such as Dining Services, through companies such as ARAmark.
University spokeswoman Louise Dudley said she thinks such comments on University personnel policies are an "oversimplification of the reason we contract out."
"It is not just matters of salary. There is better service from companies that specialize in a certain line of work," Dudley said.
She said she thinks the benefits package the University gives workers also should be considered when comparing compensation of University employees to the city or county.
"We want the best people," she added. "We want to pay a fair wage, a fair salary and good benefits"
Read More
Student Council passes appointment bill, approves new CIOs at final meeting of semester
By Arshiya Pant | 2 hours agoMendoza Gonzalez also said she will be meeting with Kenyon R. Bonner, vice president and chief student affairs officer, to discuss further strategies for the Student Council Endowment Fund.
Professors speak about leading productive dialogue on Israel-Hamas war
By Lexie Stadler | 23 hours agoThe event was hosted by the University’s Task Force on Religious Diversity and Belonging, which is designed to ensure that the University is welcoming to community members from all religions and cultures.
Honor Committee considers formal ban of AI detectors as evidence in trials
By Lexie Stadler | 2 days agoThe Committee also addressed balancing student perspectives with those of Committee representatives during panel discussions.
