Staff Report
The minimum wage for student employees will rise from $5.25 per hour to $6.25 starting Saturday.
All student employees will receive at least a $1 raise starting July 7.
The raise is meant to keep University hourly jobs competitive with others in the city, said Ron Martinez, director of the Student Financial Aid Office.
Albuquerque's minimum wage increased to $6.75 on Jan. 1.
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It will rise to $7.15 at the beginning of 2008 and $7.50 in 2009.
UNM is not required to follow the city and country minimum wage ordinances, because it is a state institution.
An increase to $6.50 is scheduled for student employees in 2008.
Student Kristin Heineman said the raise
is fair.
"I think if you can be making minimum wage and be below the poverty line in a developed country, that's absurd," she said.
Students deserve a higher minimum wage as much as anyone else, she said.
"We're all broke as it is," she said. "You should be able to work on campus and not be making less than someone at a restaurant."
Current student employee pay scale
Grade 1 - Entry-level jobs that require little experience: $5.25-$6
Grade 2 - Intermediate jobs that require some responsibility and skills. Usually require previous training: $5.75-$6.75
Grade 3 - Complex jobs that often involve supervision of other student employees: $6.25-$7.50
Grade 4 - Highly skilled, technical specialist jobs: $8-$14
Student employee pay scale
effective July 7
Grade 1: $6.25-$7.75
Grade 2: $6.75-$8.25
Grade 3: $7.25-$8.75
Grade 4: $9.50-$14
Tentative pay scale
proposed for Jan. 1
Grade 1: $6.50-$8
Grade 2: $7-$8.50
Grade 3: $7.50-$9
Grade 4: $9.50-$14
Source: Student Financial Aid Office
