UNM gave a 2 percent raise to staff and a 3 percent raise to faculty, and the Staff Union is displeased with that.
Any staff member who made less than $35,000 per year got a 5 percent raise, but union president Terry Mulcahy said the raise hardly covers everyone on staff.
"This 5 percent raise only applies to about one-third of the union," he said. "The rest are left hanging."
The Legislature gives funds for raises to UNM each year to use at the school's discretion, but raises were below the inflation rate, which was 4.1 percent as of May 2008.
Mulcahy said this is a dangerous trend to start.
"I'm afraid that if this continues in upcoming years, the staff will be left behind," he said.
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Regent Don Chalmers said the faculty raise was 3 percent because the regents are trying to retainˇfaculty.
"We need to remember the market that we're in right now and to stay competitive with the salaries that other markets would be able to offer," Chalmers said.
Pug Burge, associate vice president for the administration of the Health Sciences Center, has worked at UNM for 34 years. As of July, her salary will be about $150,000 per year.
Burge received the 3 percent raise for faculty plus another 2 percent for high performance.
"I'm very conflicted (about the difference between raises). I am a strong advocate for the staff, but the staff has to support the faculty," she said. "Without the faculty, there is no need for staff."
There are only 70 Staff Union members, but the union represents a total of 900 UNM employees, Mulcahy said.
Adam Kuhn is not a member of the union but has worked at the Student Union Building for almost a year and received his 2 percent pay raise last week.
Kuhn said he is happy with the increase.
"I'd rather have a raise than nothing at all. I'm grateful for the extra money," he said.
Although the yearly raises are a step in the right direction, Mulcahy said, the system needs to be made more fair.
"There are options, like maybe a salary cut-off, where anyone making over a certain amount would get less of a raise than those making smaller sums," heˇsaid.
