University of Michigan lecturers rally for equal pay

The University of Michigan’s got about 15 hundred unhappy lecturers to deal with.

Non-tenured faculty from the University of Michigan's three campuses want a bump in pay, to put them on par with their tenured colleagues.

Lila Naydan is a spokesman for L.E.O. – the Lecturers Employee Organization.  She notes lecturers make about half what tenured professors do per course. 

"For all intents and purposes", she says, "these faculty are the same.  So I have my PHD.  I publish articles.  I go to conferences.  Even though my position doesn’t require that I do these things, but I’m just paid for the teaching component."

Naydan added graduate employees share similar concerns.  "I think LEO members feel real solidarity with GEO members – Graduate Employee Organization members…and they’re in this struggle with us, we demand fair pay from the University of Michigan."

Naydan says L.E.O. will continue their push through contract talks.  

A U of M Spokesman says its policy is to not comment about ongoing negotiations.  

- Chris Zollars, Michigan Radio Newsroom