This week’ s spotlight goes to two students, Erin Franey and Greg Casar, both 4th year political and social thought majors, who strive to bring social justice to the University and larger community through their commitment to the Living Wage Campaign. These students began working together on the campaign in the fall of 2009. Erin’ s inspiration sprang from learning about the realities of the full lives of U. Va. employees during her first-year and through “ the pangs of injustice I felt when I spoke with employees who cleaned my dorm and served food in the dining halls.” Greg and Erin are both dedicated to this campaign and they share common goals – structural policy change from the administration and the administration’ s commitment to the moral principle of a living wage. Greg explains, “ our school is a symbol of affluence and moral intellect, but the administration refuses to pay hundreds of its own workers enough to make ends meet… it would take less than one-tenth of one percent of our multi-billion dollar budget to fund a living wage at the University.”
This is a hot topic especially now as Governor McDonnell’ s recent proposal requiring state employees to contribute 5% of their pre-tax pay to help fund their own state sponsored pensions will affect the lowest paid employees the most. This past week, five student representatives from the Living Wage Campaign met with President Teresa Sullivan and 2 members of the Faculty Support Committee to bring further awareness to the current issue and Gov. McDonnell’ s proposal. Greg and Erin remain engaged with this campaign because they are inspired by the students who can push their comfort zones and acknowledge the uncomfortable reality that we have a long way to go towards treating all the members of our University community with the dignity and respect they deserve. In the future, Erin hopes to contribute to lowering the poverty rate in the city of Charlottesville as well as help change trends of continued racism and sexism.
