By Jack Taylor & Shaina Yaranon
Changes to the minimum wage for all Associated Students employees will be coming this June thanks in part to the AS Board of Directors. However, the wages may not be as high as some people want them to be.
Spearheaded by Nate Jo, the AS VP for business and operations, the board reviewed three viable options for the increase at the May 10 board meeting.
According to the Revised Code of Washington 49.46, Washington state will increase their minimum wage by 50 cents, starting in 2017 and ending in 2021. This why the AS is increasing its wages.
Speaking at the May 10 meeting, Jo detailed the three viable options for the board to pick from.
The three options vary from a fiscally conservative option, to an option recommended by Wage Task Force and Personnel Committee to an option that would see the highest increases in AS wages.
At the board meeting, the board members voted unanimously for Option A, which was recommended by the task force. The board also was told on what the student senate thoughts were as well as told by Levi Eckman.
At the student senate meeting on May 21, many student senators felt as if Option C, which would increase the wages the most, was the best option despite being told by Nate Jo about the potential to run a deficit.
However, the majority of student senators voted in favor of option A, which would increase wages while still maintaining enough money to keep AS services running. The total vote for the senate was 14 for option A, 0 for option B and 4 option C.
Jo also responded to the criticism from student senators that they were cheating students out of the best benefits.
“I want to be clear that if we adopt option A, starting June 16th, we’re paying students much more than they would’ve made under the current policy. So it’s not like we’re cheating students,” Jo said.
Option A wages began at $13.60 and ranged to $16.50 for elected officials, this is in comparison to Option C which started at $14.00 and went up to $16.75.
Speaking on the matter Millka Solomon, AS president, mentioned how she would support higher wages.
“We are the stewards of the student dollar, we’re not trying to mess up the budget of the AS, if we’re looking at all the options for comparison, it looks like option C pays the most,” Solomon said. “I feel like I’m good with paying students the most if we can afford it.”
Eckman too felt uncertainty about making a decision that would impact people’s salaries.
“I also feel uncomfortable with making a decision, I don’t know if I can vote now,” Eckman said. “It’s theoretically not a lot of money, but I agree it actually could be quite a good amount of money I’m also concerned because I don’t want the AS budget to go dry in three years by any means but I want to pay students a little more.”
Ultimately, Jo described how if too much money went into people’s salaries the AS would lose money that is needed to provide services.
“Both A and C are progressive wages, and shows AS’ commitment to compensate employees fairly, but A considers the ultimate value of services that we directly provide to students,” Jo said. “There’s a balance.”
Deciding then, the board voted unanimously for option A. The new wages will take effect starting June 16.