Mississippi News
‘A huge victory’: Minimum wage workers at USM get pay raise after protest
‘A huge victory': Minimum wage workers at USM get pay raise after protest
University of Southern Mississippi's president announced a pay increase for hourly employees on Wednesday, two weeks after United Campus Workers, a labor union, held a rally to demand a $15 an hour minimum wage. The last time USM increased its minimum wage was nearly a decade ago.
Starting July 9, benefit-eligible, hourly workers will see the minimum wage increase to $11.25 an hour, up from $10.10 an hour, President Rodney Bennett wrote in an email to faculty and staff. These workers will also receive a 3% adjustment.
Graduate assistants, as well as many faculty and staff, will see pay increases, but non-benefit eligible positions such as visiting faculty and adjunct instructors will not be included.
Samuel Ewing, an adjunct instructor who helped organize UCW's rally, said he was thrilled at the raise, calling it “just the beginning.” He said he hopes the raise will become a “catalyst” for more faculty and staff to get involved with UCW, which will continue to push for $15 an hour and for adjuncts to receive a raise.
“This is a huge victory for all working people at this university,” Ewing said. “It demonstrates that organizing isn't just our right as working people, but that it actually works.”
In his email, Bennett, who is stepping down next year, thanked faculty and staff like Ewing for participating in UCW's protest on May 5. He wrote that the university was not able to commit the institutional funds needed to raise the campus minimum wage to $15 an hour.
“A multi-year plan would be required to make an adjustment of that size for all categories of employees,” Bennett wrote. “Although I am unable to commit future institutional funds outside of what was made possible by this year's additional legislative allocation, I am pleased that we were able to make meaningful progress in raising the minimum hourly rate for benefit-eligible employees to $11.25 per hour.”
With limited exceptions, most salaried faculty and staff will receive a 3% pay increase this year, according to Bennett's email. Starting this year, USM will also increase stipends for graduate assistants by $1,500 each fall semester for the next three years, bringing their total pay in fall 2024 to $11,700.
Margaret Ann McCloud, USM's spokesperson, did not respond by press time to Mississippi Today's question about how many hourly workers will benefit from the wage increase.
Janice Jones, a custodian who helped organize UCW's rally, said she learned about the raises Wednesday morning after Bennett called her for a meeting. She said that Bennett also asked her about the issues that custodians have with the maintenance department's points-based attendance system, which Mississippi Today detailed in an article last week.
“I wish it had been more, but what we got is a beginning,” she said. “They're going to work with us, and we're going to look at it as a win, because we did win — but the winnings aren't over.”
READ MORE: How one custodian is fighting fear to get a pay raise at University of Southern Mississippi
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
WCBI/MSU Storm Chase Day 3 Recap – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: A storm chase group traveled from Sweetwater, TX to northern Oklahoma near Ponca City, experiencing severe storms with wind and hail. The storms quickly developed along a warm front, with potential tornado development observed. The storm evolved into a large supercell moving southeast toward Ponca City, producing softball-sized hail. Another storm moved northwest of OKC, producing rotation and strong wind gusts but no tornado. The group observed these storms from their hotel, experiencing lightning, rotation, and outflow wind gusts of about 40 mph.
The post WCBI/MSU Storm Chase Day 3 Recap – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Warmer temperatures ahead of overnight storms – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: The weather in Columbus, Mississippi is warm and humid with storms expected tonight and into Friday morning. There is a chance of some strong storms with heavy rain, gusty winds, and possibly hail. Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 80s. Showers will continue into Saturday morning before clearing out for the weekend. The SPC has NE Mississippi under a level 1 and 2 risk for severe weather. Overall, expect warm and muggy conditions with scattered showers and storms throughout Friday. Saturday will start with showers but clear out in the evening, while Sunday will have pleasant conditions with clear skies and warm temperatures in the upper 80s.
The post Warmer temperatures ahead of overnight storms – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Storm damage victims work to fix up their property
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The post Storm damage victims work to fix up their property appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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