Our Wins and Campaigns
University of Kentucky student workers receive 45% pay raise in ’23-24 budget
"The raise is the result of a year of organizing by undergraduate members of the United Campus Workers of Kentucky, a labor union for public higher education employees. The University of Kentucky undergraduates who work part-time for the school marched on campus in April to deliver their petition to university President Eli Capilouto. The students asked to establish a $15 per hour minimum wage for all student workers and received widespread support from the UK community." -- FOX 56
University of Kentucky campus workers win a $15 minimum wage
University of Kentucky campus workers Won a $15 minimum wage following a successful organizing campaign. United Campus Workers (UCW) submitted a petition with over 1,000 signatures to the university president’s office, demanding a wage increase, hazard pay, and other benefits. After holding rallies and drawing media attention, the university agreed to revisit the demands and ultimately committed to the pay raise and additional improvements. -- Yahoo Finance
UCW-UofL Fights for Raises and Safe Working Conditions
UCW members pressured UofL’s upper administration to prioritize the well-being of students and workers. After launching a petition—signed by over 1,500 people in just one week—and building public pressure through shared stories and media coverage, UofL announced it would reinstate a previously rescinded 1% raise for select staff and faculty. They also issued an "update" to the leave policy, granting greater flexibility for remote work during the covid pandemic —changes that only came about because of our collective action.
UCW pressures Capilouto to reverse undemocratic decisions around dean appointments
In response to faculty concerns over shared governance, University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto announced this week the halt of a dean search process that has drawn the criticism of faculty. --Herald-Leader
UCW Pushes Governor Beshear to VETO House Bill 424
After delivering an open letter and petition to Gov. Beshear urging him to veto the legislation, Gov. Andy Beshear vetoed the Republican-backed House Bill 424. He warned that the bill “threatens academic freedom,” echoing concerns from UCW members that it would erode academic tenure at public universities and colleges
UCW UofL Grads launched a "Fair stipends for all graduate workers" campaign with a petition and grad worker outreach.
UofL graduate workers, as members of United Campus Workers Kentucky, urge UofL administration to fairly compensate its graduate workers. We are calling on university leaders to ensure graduate workers can move beyond surviving and towards academic excellence by taking the following steps: Pay all graduate workers a living wage, collect and publish relevant financial data to increase transparency and accountability, and prioritize graduate worker needs by meeting with UCW and other graduate workers. Learn more about our campaign here!