Knox College workers, represented by SEIU Local 73, have approved a new three-year contract. The contract includes a $2.25 pay increase over its term, an additional longevity layer that adds 10 cents per hour for all employees with over 15 years of service, and several language improvements for the unit. These improvements include a more flexible attendance policy and better overtime procedures for dining.

SEIU (Service Employees International Union) Local 73 represents over 35,000 workers in public service roles across Illinois and Indiana. It currently represents 98 food and building service workers at Knox College. 

Knox College employee, steward, and bargaining team member Natalie Schwab said the contract will last longer than usual.

“Usually [we] negotiate a new contract every two years. It’s been the normal lately…we did go ahead and extend it, so this contract lasts for three years. So we won’t have to do it again for three years,”  Schwab said.

Schwab explained the main job of a union representative is to come up with new policies.

“So basically what we do is we negotiate for a raise. That’s a big part of it,” said Schwab.

“Our job as a representative is to come up with something that we believe is good enough that everyone will vote. (…) I mean, you’re never going to have everyone but you want overwhelming support from your union members.”

Union members at Knox include workers from the grounds department, such as the custodial department, dining services, and specialties. Members have the right to vote in favor or against new measures.

“We generally ask them, if you do vote no, to let us know why, so we have more knowledge of what they would like next time. But we had overwhelming support for this one,” said Schwab.

Knox College food service worker and union member Sarah Sazama explained how the payment raise was planned to happen throughout the three years of the contract.

“I think we started out asking for 1.50 raise per year and it got,  you know, back and forth down to 75 cents every, for the next three years. So we get a 75-cent raise this year, another one next year, and another one the third year.  And that’s for the 2.25 total,” said Sazama.

Schwab said that the suggested raise is meant to reflect the economy, what’s happening nationally, and the wages of people in similar positions around the area.

“Usually,  we try to have a raise every year that is consistent with the economy, what’s going on around us, what people are paid in similar positions in our area,” said Schwab. “We just really try to stay  a notch above minimum wage, you know, keep growing, keep improving.”

Knox dining services worker and union member Tarah Smith believes the new contract will help improve her financial situation.

“I feel good about the new contract. It’ll make a difference helping me get some more money in my pocket. (…) You can never win with a raise, unfortunately. It’s the economy.  Yeah, I feel good about it,” said Smith.

Schwab noted the more flexible attendance policy is a tricky issue, but they addressed it in the new contract.

“We have, we’re continually working on, a new attendance policy. It’s kind of a double-edged sword,” said Schwab. “You want to provide enough leniency for people who are honestly trying their best to do a good job and showing up. But you don’t want to make it impossible for them to succeed either because everyone has lives and things happen where you might have to miss work. So you have to have a good balance there, but we did work on that.”

Schwab acknowledged the importance of the longevity layer for the recognition of long-term employees.

“It’s basically recognition for the people that have worked here 5, 10, 15, 20 years. It’s not a significant amount, but it is something to show that, you know, we appreciate your knowledge, we appreciate your time. It’s a lot harder to train a new employee than it is to retain an employee. So, we don’t want people coming in brand new, making the same as our people that have been here for 20 years. So, that’s something we’re really trying to hit home,” said Schwab.

Looking ahead, Schwab discussed plans to increase the longevity tiers for employees who have worked at Knox longer.

“​​We added another tier, added for the 15th year. But going forward that is something we’re really going to try to increase,” said Schwab.