COMP NEWS – Following 500 days of negotiation, Staffers at American University in Washington, D.C. went on strike for better pay and fairer working conditions. Now, they’ve reached an agreement, striking a negotiation settlement just under a week before classes start on campus.

Staffers at American University in Washington, D.C., have reached a settlement agreement after they went on strike this week over complaints of unfair working conditions and low wages, the union and the university said on Friday.

The deal increases pay and benefits for staff members of the university’s provost office, according to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500. The weeklong strike was authorized after two years of bargaining failed to bring a contract that provided employees with better wages and equity pay.

The new union agreement will raise pay for full-time workers over the next two years, with the lowest-compensated employees receiving additional increases.

Currently, there are 550 staff members at the university — ranging from administrative staff, counselors, advisors, technicians and coordinators — who are represented by SEIU 500. More than 91% of American University’s staff voted in favor of the week-long strike, according to the union.

An SEIU spokesperson says the agreement provides full-time workers with raises between 7.5% and 13.5% over two years and lowest-paid workers will receive upgrades and additional increases.

Prior to the agreement, the union had filed unfair labor practices charges against the university.

The union had filed unfair labor practice charges against the university for what it called the university’s “bad faith bargaining.” It plans to withdraw all except two charges after the new agreement is ratified.

To read more about American University staffers’ strike and settlement agreement, click here.

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