Washington University Alumni for a Living Wage for All Service and Maintenance Workers

During my time at Washington University I was the beneficiary of Washington University's prestige, its valuable professors, its friendly staff and its strong community. As a student I was welcomed at this university and I reaped all the benefits of the hard work that so many have put into making Washington University what it is.





Unfortunately, there are many members of our Washington University community who remain invisible and under appreciated. Ironically, these are the very members who make the day-to-day life at Washington University great. Whether it was with a delicious late night meal at Bear's Den, a freshly mowed lawn on the quad, a clean classroom early in the morning, or a heart-warming smile in Mallinckrodt, the service workers at Washington University have always treated students with the utmost respect and care. Unfortunately, while I reap the benefits of Washington University's prestige, they do not.





Service workers at Washington University have been the victims of anti-unionization campaigns, outsourcing, illegitimate wages, and unfair working conditions. For a university that prides itself on the strength of its community, this is unacceptable. It is with this in mind that I pledge to withhold funding in the form of donations to Washington University until all service workers are paid a living wage and are integrated into the Washington University community as the valuable members they truly are. Anything less than my effort in this regard would be an insult to their hard work and commitment to the campus during my time at Washington University.





I anticipate the resolution of this injustice at Washington University in a timely manner.





The undersigned students and alumni of Washington University in St. Louis have pledged not to donate money to their alma mater as long as it refuses to pay all of its service and maintenance workers a living wage.