Vanderbilt employment
- Vanderbilt‘s policy and practice is to provide fair compensation for all employees, regardless of their status, position or role in the institution.
- Vanderbilt University has more than 20,000 employees.
- Vanderbilt conducts extensive research to ensure that wage and salary scales are competitive in the marketplace, both locally and nationally.
Current negotiations with LIUNA
- Contract negotiations are currently underway between the university and the Laborers International Union of America (LIUNA) Local 386, which represents approximately 600 employees in the custodial, grounds, food service and skilled crafts categories.
- After extensive negotiations that began in the fall, Vanderbilt presented a final offer that included the following elements:
- A guaranteed across-the-board annual increase of 3 percent for the next three years for all employees in the bargaining unit.
- An increase in the base rate of pay (or minimum wage) to $10 per hour for the lowest paid grade in less than two years. This represents a 33 percent increase from the current contract. It also will raise the hourly wage for the vast majority of these employees far above the level cited in media reports as the “living wage” for Nashville, and will exceed the market rates even for entry-level employees performing similar work.
- Implementation of a new program that will provide opportunities for additional increases for the lower paid group of employees.
- At a meeting in early January attended by approximately 130 of the 600 members of the bargaining unit, the proposed contract was rejected. Vanderbilt and the union have agreed to engage a federal mediator to reach a resolution.
- The proposed pay package will be a market leader for the entry-level positions in the community.
- Vanderbilt‘s extensive benefits package is available to every full-time employee, including those in the bargaining unit. That benefits package includes:
- A choice of health insurance plans for which the university pays 80 percent of the premium and which include several low-cost options with minimal weekly costs and co-payments.
- Vanderbilt payment of up to $23,000 per dependent child (tax free) for tuition at any accredited school the student attends.
- Life insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Short- and long-term disability insurance
- Matching contributions to retirement accounts
- Professional development and education benefits
- Free access to health and wellness facilities
- Free transportation to and from work on Nashville‘s bus system
- Discounts on events, goods and services.
- Unlike many universities, Vanderbilt does not outsource its lowest-paid workers positions. Everyone in these classifications who works at Vanderbilt works for Vanderbilt. This means every full-time employee receives the same benefits and protections that come with full-time employment.
Background on Vanderbilt‘s relationship with LIUNA
- The university‘s relationship with LIUNA dates back to 1972.
- The most recent contract started in 2001 and expired in November 2006, though both parties agreed to continue operating under the terms of the most recent agreement until further notice.
Media contact: Elizabeth Latt, (615) 322-NEWS
elizabeth.p.latt@vanderbilt.edu