University of Missouri staff and students used Friday's International Worker's Day, also known as May Day, to continue an ongoing push for a higher minimum wage.
The Laborers’ International Union of North America, or LiUNA, is a national organization that advocates for local union workers. LiUNA members are represented on the job by local chapters.
LiUNA members celebrate International Workers' Day on May 1 every year to honor labor history, advocate for workers' rights and demonstrate solidarity.
LiUNA Local 955 represents service and maintenance workers at University of Missouri, MU Healthcare and University of Missouri-Kansas City.
“Yeah, there's a lot of students, of course, that graduate and go on to work at the university,” said Mizzou student Truman Oaks. “I think it's very important that we as students are able to stand in solidarity with the workers that are really the ones making sure this university is a nice place to study.”
Among other community members supporting the cause was Peggy Placier, a retired MU faculty member, and a member of liberal advocacy organization Jobs with Justice.
“I think one of the speakers said something important: that she was scared to come up and speak because of retaliation," Placier said. "There is more of an atmosphere of that in recent years of saying 'don’t teach this, don't do that, or I’m closing this down,'” she said. “So we know they’re vulnerable but people will come out, especially if they have lunch at this time.”
Last year, LiUNA 955 successfully negotiated an additional dollar an hour for many of the workers it represents, in response to increased parking rates.
