St. Thomas University establishes living-wage policy for employees

Published: 2007-07-05

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (CNS) -- After 13 years on the housekeeping staff at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Livia Herrera saw her wages rise by almost $3 an hour in July. So did more than a dozen of her co-workers, whose hourly pay increased to a minimum of $10.27 per hour. The July 1 increase is due to a living-wage policy adopted by the university. The hourly rate is in addition to health benefits, which the university will continue to cover at 80 percent. "The difference is big," said Herrera's supervisor, Eduardo Torres, who also will benefit from the new policy. "It's going to help us a lot, thank God," said co-worker Norma Darias. According to Anthony Vinciguerra, director of the university's Center for Justice and Peace, St. Thomas, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Miami, is one of only two Catholic universities in the nation to implement a living-wage policy. Jesuit-run Georgetown University in Washington is the other. The new policy directly affects about 20 housekeeping and grounds maintenance employees. But Msgr. Franklyn Casale, president of St. Thomas, said the school will keep the living wage in mind when it negotiates with subcontractors.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .