University of Virginia Library

Jenkins Says University Wages Sub-Standard In Some Areas

By Tom Adams
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Speaking on the subject of salaries paid to University
employees, Paul J. Jenkins, Director of Personnel at the
University, called the issue a "complex one" that is "very
close to me."

In an interview Friday, Mr. Jenkins said he could not
give a simple "yes or no" answer to the question of
whether salaries of University employees are sub-standard.

"In some classifications," he said, "such as the broad
area of clerks, typists and secretarial positions, and some
of the technical groups, we are competitive and are able
to recruit and retain highly- qualified employees.

"In many other areas, though, we are not competitive.
For example, in administrative and professional categories
requiring Bachelor's or Master's degrees, we are, in many
cases, far below our normal competition. We are also well
below the area rates for tradesmen such as carpenters,
painters and plumbers.

Heavy Need For Workers

On the subject of pay rates for custodial and service
workers, Mr. Jenkins pointed out there is a heavy need for
this category at any institutional type organization, such
as a university or hospital. "Those who are performing at
the base levels in these categories are unskilled, poorly
educated employees," he said.

He added that "our basic competition for the
unskilled service is from hotels, motels and restaurants
and these businesses are not covered by the $1.60 per hour
Federal minimum wage. This means that in the
community the general rate for the unskilled service
worker is between $1.40 and $1.60. The rates paid by the
University for unskilled institutional type labor is
generally what is paid for this kind of help in the
community."

The University and University Hospital are covered by
Federal minimum wage laws. The Fair Labor Standards
Act, as amended in 1966, provides a separate "track" for
"newly-covered employment."

Mr. Jenkins explained that on February 1, 1967, the
minimum wage was set at $1.00 per hour with the
provision that this minimum wage would be increased by
15 cents per year until 1971 when newly-covered
employment would reach the same minimum ($1.60 per
hour) which is applicable to previously- covered
employment.

Adjustment Of Wages

As of minimum wage of this month, $1.00 was the
Federal minimum wage applicable to the University. Mr.
Jenkins said that on that date only a "few employees"
had been adjusted to meet the $1.30 minimum.

He said the Commonwealth has generally stayed ahead
of the adjustments required by the Fair Labor Standards
Act. On March 1, he said, the University will put into
effect newly-authorized state ranges which will set up an
annual salary of $3,024 as the lowest beginning step for a
salaried employee. This has an hourly equivalent rate of
$1.45. "A new person employed at this rate would be
eligible to go to the next step of $3,168 in six months.
This step has an hourly equivalent of $1.52 per hour," he
pointed out.

Mr. Jenkins said that Governor Godwin indicated last
July that an additional general increase probably would
be granted during the 1969-70 fiscal year, which would
result in the lowest salaried step being $3,168 per year.
After six months, an employee will be eligible to go to
$3,312, which is about $1.60 per hour.

"This indicates a marked improvement in the base rate
for the State service and means that on or about July 1,
1969, the State rates probably will be at the Federal
minimum which applies to all categories and to which the
State is not compelled to go until 1971."

Mr. Jenkins indicated that the University's efforts to
increase salaries for its employees amounts to keeping the
State Director of Personnel informed of its salary needs.
He said that this is done on a "continuing basis." Mr.
Jenkins invited the State's Assistant Director of Personnel
to visit the University last June and presented him with
"facts about vacancies and wage surveys for the community."
Both the Assistant Director of Personnel for the
State and the Supervisor of Wage and Salary Administration
for the State of Virginia were informed about the
necessity of employees at the service level having to work
in two jobs in order to meet the high cost of living in the
Charlottesville area.

When asked about the prospects for future improvements
in the State salary structure, Mr. Jenkins replied
that "the main problem is to overcome the burden of the
general state philosophy of salary administration, which is
to perpetuate mediocrity.

"The general policy," he said, "has been a very
conservative approach to salary increases. The general
result has been in many categories to pay as little as could
be paid to get a minimum job accomplished."

Mr. Jenkins said that "it is interesting to note that the
philosophy of the Federal government is to provide
exemplary salary scales and a majority of the Virginia
delegation to Congress normally votes in favor of numerous
salary adjustments for Government employees. At the
same time, there is the philosophy on the home front that
State salaries should be somewhere in the middle or lower
part of the pack instead of leading the pack."

"Plight" Of Agencies

He said that future improvements depend largely on
"members of the General Assembly to become acquainted
with the plight of State agencies and institutions in trying
to do a job without adequate salary scales.

"They need to realize the impossible situation which is
placed upon institutions like the University of Virginia;
on one hand it is devoting much of its efforts toward
becoming a nationally renowned institution, while at the
same time it is stymied with low salaries for non-academic
personnel.

"The frustration is heightened when the University
goes out on the open market and attracts, at whatever
salary is required, an outstanding faculty member who
comes in and becomes quite upset that he cannot have
qualified people to support him because of inadequate
salaries paid to the non-academic staff."

"Most Sympathetic" Official

Mr. Jenkins wanted to make it clear that the State
Director of Personnel and his staff "have been most
sympathetic to our problems and have done all they could
within the budgetary limitations."

Mr. Jenkins said that the University is using other
means than financial ones to improve the lot of its
bottom-scale employees. The University is this community's
largest single employer of unskilled workers, employing
about 750 of them, including 27 who are illiterate.

"Custodial work is not a career," he said. "We should
not think of salary raises as the only end for these
employees. If an employee has a capability for a higher
position, his skills should be improved."

He said the Personnel Office is attempting to arrange
for volunteer tutors in the community to teach the 27
illiterates to read and write, but that there is a difficulty
in locating male tutors so the program is not making
much progress.

Mr. Jenkins described other educational and training
programs that his office encourages employees to participate
in.

"We have encouraged employees to take the Federally
sponsored basic education course offered at night at Lane
High School. This is a free course which generally covers
the education curriculum through the sixth grade. The
Community Action Organization has a newly established
Learning Laboratory which is available for those who
need help at any grade level.

"The University is also paying the tuition for a number
of employees who lack some high school courses. They
are enrolled in the regular adult education courses at
Lane.

"We will also present a short preparatory or 'cram
course for employees who are almost ready to take the
high school equivalency test. This is to prepare them to
take the test which will be given on April 5.

"The Personnel Office has selected 12 employees to
participate in a clerical training course. These employees
are generally high school graduates with good aptitudes
for clerical-type work but who are now working as maids,
food service workers and nurses aides.

Training Of Employees

"In addition, we have been able to place a number of
employees in training situations based on the aptitude
shown on the general evaluation tests which were given to
all interested employees."

On the subject of benefits for employees, Mr. Jenkins
pointed out that full-time salaried employees are eligible
for Blue Cross-Blue Shield coverage, and all benefits
provided by the Virginia State Personnel and Retirement
Acts.

He said that over half of the custodial employees are
eligible for these benefits. Those who are not are the
hourly employees who do not have tenure, the right of
appeal, and are not eligible for the regular benefits of
permanent employment.

He said that when an employee is hired for a custodial
position he is given a three-month trial period during
which he is paid an hourly wage. If he proves reliable, he
is then made a salaried employee with full benefits.

Mr. Jenkins said that he is not aware of any eligible
employee who is not in a salaried position if he desire
such an appointment. He said that if any hourly employee
feels he should be in a salaried position he can contact the
Assistant Director of Personnel, Arnold Nunnery, or
himself, and they will investigate.