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Solidarity message from School of Music

Office of the President
202 Morrill Hall
100 Church St. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455

September 18, 2007

Dear President Bruininks,

We write to express our concern over the ongoing strike of clerical, technical, and healthcare workers and to urge you to reach an agreement that reflects the high value of these workers to the School of Music and the University of Minnesota as a whole.

The clerical and technical workers in the School of Music and Music
Library actively contribute to the excellence of what we offer. They are vital participants in the artistic and intellectual life of our community, the first level of interface between students and the School, and integral to our planning and decision-making processes. As a result of the recent reductions in staffing at the School of Music, our clerical colleagues are now responsible for much greater workloads than they had previously, and thus far without additional compensation. If the University cannot recruit and retain these valuable personnel with fair wages and reasonable workloads, it also risks compromising its strategic mission to become a public research institution of the highest reputation.

As faculty and staff members of the School of Music, we strongly urge you to recognize and compensate the University's clerical, technical, and healthcare workers at an appropriate and compassionate level, commensurate with the wage increases of other employees on campus.

Very Sincerely,

Signed by 44 faculty, affiliate faculty and staff members of the School of Music