A wage strike to protest the delayed response of wage proposals occurred on Truman State University’s campus Dec. 4.
The Physical Plant union has been negotiating wages with the University for months. Physical Plant consists of grounds maintenance, custodial services, building maintenance and other operations.
Protestors stood outside of the Student Union Building. They had a large inflatable rat, among signs and other banners. The inflatable rat has been used as a symbol for workers attempting to get higher wages and more benefits, according to rattracker.org.
Andrew Hutchinson, P. E. representative for Laborers’ Local 955, was one of the organizers for this event.
Hutchinson said Physical Plant workers have tried for five months to negotiate with the University but have been unsuccessful.
“Truman refused to bargain in good faith with us and compared bargaining over wages to haggling over the price of a used car,” Hutchinson said. “And now these workers are protesting to make their voices known to the Board of Governors because the Board of Governors is the last chance to return us to the bargaining table and give us a real living wage.”
Protestors stood in during the Board of Governors meeting and held signs while two Truman students spoke about wage increases and COVID-19 vaccinations.