March 31, 2015
UW raises minimum-wage workers to $11 per hour
The University of Washington announced today that it is bringing a small group of employees who currently earn below $11 an hour to that level, effective April 1, in keeping with the spirit of Seattle’s new minimum wage law. Of the approximately 39,000 non-student employees at the UW, 70 currently earn below $11 per hour. Effective Wednesday, they will reach the $11 level.
“We are pleased to be moving in synch with the rest of the city,” said Interim UW President Ana Mari Cauce. “Though the number of individuals affected is relatively small, we think as the city’s largest employer, it is important for us to make every effort to reach this minimum wage level for those individuals. We know it will mean a lot to them.”
If the legislature funds the contracts the University has negotiated with its unions, effective July 1, the minimum wage for the vast majority of staff will be $12 per hour.
The University is working with student groups to assess the feasibility of moving all of its student employees to the $11 minimum wage level. It may take several more weeks to conclude that analysis. Many student jobs are funded by student fees or other sources that could require price increases on campus. Approximately 2,600 students currently make less than $11 an hour in student jobs.
