Hundreds of American University staffers began a five-day strike Monday, demanding “a living wage and real pay equity” as students returned to campus for the new school year.
The Academic Affairs Staff Union authorized the strike on Aug. 11 after months of contract negotiations with the private, federally chartered university stalled.
On its Twitter account Monday, the union said strikers include library workers and first-year student advisers. Photos posted to the account showed purple-clad demonstrators holding signs that read: “AU staff deserves better.”
“The flock has arrived,” the union tweeted.
The campus in Northwest Washington is continuing welcome week activities despite the strike.
Staffers have asked for a 5% raise in the first year, a 4% increase in the second, extended annual raises for part-time employees and a guarantee that no full-time worker will earn less than $40,000 a year.
American has offered a 2.5% across-the-board increase and a 1.5% performance raise this year.
In a letter to the community on Sunday, university President Sylvia Mathews Burwell defended the school’s “fair and equitable compensation proposal.”
“With our deep dependence on tuition, we must be thoughtful stewards of our resources,” she said.
• Sean Salai can be reached at ssalai@washingtontimes.com.
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