Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee
1,000 signatures reached
To: The President of the University, The Board of trustees, Labor relations and human resource department
A fight for Economic Justice, Human Dignity!
Dear Fellow University Staff, Faculty, Students, Parents, and Citizens of Michigan,
We the Campus Maintenance and Trades workers at Oakland University would like to inform you for the past eight months, our union has been bargaining with the university. From the beginning, we have brought forward reasonable proposals with the interests of both parties in mind. Unfortunately, the university has largely declined to acknowledge these moderate proposals, which simply reflect the reality of what it takes to live in the 2026 economy.
In a demonstration of good faith and to show that we have heard the university's economic concerns, our union has withdrawn several key proposals that were very important to our members. We are now focused solely on bargaining for base pay wages. We are asking for a living wage and in reality, we are asking for an amount that is actually below the living wage standard. According to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, a single individual with no children in Michigan needs to make $20.97 an hour just to pay basic bills; this is not a middle-class wage, but a "barely get by" number.
Our current proposals are as follows:
- Custodians: By the end of the 3-year contract to be at the hourly wage of $20.54 per hour.
- Skilled Trades: A basic wage adjustment of 6.5% for the first year.
- Grounds, Mail Room, and Furniture Movers: A 5% adjustment.
An agreement could be reached immediately if these basic needs were met. Instead, the university remains set on achieving an agreement that maintains low standards across the board and offers raises that do not meet inflation.
This is unacceptable. We are the unseen backbone of Oakland University. We ensure that students learn in a clean, safe, and functional environment making sure the heat and air conditioning work, the lights turn on, and the facilities are operational. We are asking for your support in our fight for economic justice and the ability to live a life of dignity.
Thank you for your time and support.
Best regards,
OAKLAND UNIVERSITY CAMPUS MAINTENANCE AND TRADES MICHIGAN EDUCATION ASSOCIATION / NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
Why is this important?
We are calling on our community to contact the University to express concern over the position they are taking with campus maintenance and trades workers.
If the University is willing to treat union workers with this level of callousness prioritizing spreadsheets over human beings, we must consider how they might treat student employees who have far less leverage.
For parents considering sending their children to this University, it is important to ask how the administration will treat your children when they need to make future budget cuts.
We ask that you please call or email the University to express your concerns and your support for our goals.
A rising tide lifts all boats, and our fight is your fight.
Thank you for your SOLIDARITY and support.
(Include contact information, public phone numbers, public emails, addresses for letters etc
If the University is willing to treat union workers with this level of callousness prioritizing spreadsheets over human beings, we must consider how they might treat student employees who have far less leverage.
For parents considering sending their children to this University, it is important to ask how the administration will treat your children when they need to make future budget cuts.
We ask that you please call or email the University to express your concerns and your support for our goals.
A rising tide lifts all boats, and our fight is your fight.
Thank you for your SOLIDARITY and support.
(Include contact information, public phone numbers, public emails, addresses for letters etc
