In spring 2024, housekeepers at UNC Chapel Hill continued a campaign to eliminate fees for workers to park on the job. In February, workers wrote to the university:
“Many employees received a double parking deduction from their paychecks due to university error. Many of these employees are in the lower pay bands at the university, and this error deeply affects their ability to pay their bills and survive to the beginning of the month.”
Workers launched a petition campaign, collecting nearly 200 signatures from campus workers and supporters, in addition to the 1,200 they collected in fall 2022. They challenged the UNC Parking and Transportation committee to take up their demands, to no avail. Then, on March 20th, housekeepers rallied, gathered allies, spoke to the press, and delivered their petitions.
Workers learned that the new five-year parking plan would increase revenue for the university by $2 million. Meanwhile, their proposals to eliminate parking fees for all workers earning less than $50,000 per year would only cost the university $1 million per year. Yet, the Employee Forum representatives, who are supposed to represent all workers, on the Parking Committee claimed it was because of “equity” that they could not eliminate parking fees for some workers, and not others. The union had to educate them on the definition of equity!
After a few months of struggle, UE Local 150 was able to secure a decrease in the monthly parking fee, putting hundreds of dollars per year back in workers pockets, but the fight continues!
This article was published first by UE Local 150.
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