The University of Minnesota administration’s wage raise proposal has gone up to a whopping .375 percent. That is so low, it’s laughable. These negotiators surely take acting lessons to claim this is acceptable with a straight face.

 

It’s patently obvious the low regard the administration has for its front-line clerical workers. Just refer to the “Glassdoor” job search website. Numerous University employees comment on the lack of a career path and hierarchal structure and the sneering attitudes displayed by many managers toward their workers. 

 

One method used is to keep job titles down by downgrading them after someone leaves. The title is just downgraded, mind you, not the skills required and job responsibilities.

 

Then there is the excuse of the 2 percent step increase (which has been frozen in past years), which is used to avoid giving employees a cost-of-living raise. 

 

The administrators keep on saying they have to see the budget numbers before they can offer more (as if they want to). But there are still millions of dollars to pay coaches and top administrators, whose sheer wage percentage increases have grown considerably and are finally now being taken into consideration. 

 

I really find it ironic that a public institution of higher learning is so unprogressive and mean-spirited. Unfortunately, the corporate handprint is smothering us all in the bottom and middle of the pack. We may not be that far from Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” of an elite class of master owners and slave workers after all.