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SIU Springfield employees press board for longevity pay and higher wages during public comment
Summary
Nurses, medical assistants and union representatives urged the board to adopt structured longevity pay and living wages, saying current pay forces many staff to hold second or third jobs and harms retention and morale.
Several Springfield‑area medical center employees addressed the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees during the public comment period on July 10, urging action on longevity pay and higher base wages for lower‑paid clinical and nonclinical staff.
Michelle Barnes, a registered nurse with 36 years’ experience including 19 at SIU’s Springfield campus, called for a structured longevity pay schedule tied to service milestones (5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 years). “Longevity pay reflects a different but equally vital value and benefit, loyalty, and deep institutional knowledge,” Barnes said, asking the board to ensure increases are…
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