TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Workers at Florida A&M University want a raise and they're fighting the university to make sure it happens.
Negotiations haven't worked, so union leaders met with a special magistrate on Monday.
Andre Crumity, President of Local 3343, says the 500 workers in the union who hold both blue and white color jobs on campus just want to be treated fairly.
"With inflation going up and with the state of the country, where this country is going economically, we have to stay within our means and make sure we take care of our employees," said Crumity.
The union is demanding a $2,500 base salary increase for its 500 members, which would cost the university $1.56 million.
A labor analyst for the union says FAMU does have the funds for the raises. The union side arguing that the money can come from the university's five percent operating budget and questioning why FAMU President Larry Robinson is getting a nine percent raise.
Robinson issued a statement saying, in part:
"We appreciate the work of the faculty and staff at the university. We will do everything we can to ensure they are in an environment that demonstrates that. We are committed to respecting and upholding the collective bargaining process."
So what's next? Monday's impasse hearing was halted.
Another meeting is scheduled for Sept. 9. The bargaining teams from the union and FAMU will sit down once again to try to negotiate a deal.
That meeting is open to the public.
