Virginia Students Go On Hunger Strike to Win Living Wage for Employees

Feb 23, 2012

At least 18 students at the University of Virginia have staged a hunger strike to bring attention to campus employees’ fight for a living wage. This week, the school’s governing body, the Board of Visitors, is meeting and the students are using the opportunity to bring more attention to the issue. The campaign is demanding $13 base wage per hour, before benefits, for all university employees. Many of the school’s employees are women and people of color, according to students working on the campaign. According to organizers who referenced research by the Economic Policy Institute, the salary demand reflects the cost of living in the surrounding Charlottesville area.