This letter is written regarding comments from those concerned with the new minimum wage law which will have an impact on student workers who have been employed at NIU for a year or longer.

The concern is that new employees will be making the same wages as those who have been here for some time.

In the mid-1970s the same thing was happening to civil service workers at NIU. Entry level position salaries were raised for new employees in several classifications.

However, many employees who had been on staff for several years suddenly found themselves making less than someone just beginning employment.

The reason given by the administration was that higher entry level wages would hopefully “attract new employees” to the university.

While the new minimum wage appears to be unfair to student workers who have been employed for some time, this is not the first time longer-term employees have found themselves on the short end of the stick.

The fair solution would be to raise the salaries of those who have been employed one year or longer to compensate for the minimum wage increase.

Kathy Panttila

Civil service employee