IU employees want 3.5 percent raise

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Labor unions that represent Indiana University's employees are calling for a 3.5 percent raise for the school's workers.

Union leaders also want IU to reinstate equity raises for employees who've taken on additional job responsibilities because of personnel cuts.

Communication Workers of America Local 4730 President Bryce Smedley says staffers have heard informally that the university is looking at a 1.5 percent increase for employees and tells The Herald-Times, "That just doesn't cut it."

The CWA local represents 1,650 support staff in Bloomington and at the IU Northwest campus.

IU Chief Financial Officer Neil Theobald said that while IU failed to provide a salary increase for the first time in 50 years in 2009, raises since 2008 have amounted to an 8 percent salary increase for school employees.