In October of 2007 United Campus Workers launched the 2008 Campaign for UT’s Working Families.

A key plank of the campaign was the achievement of overtime pay for UT’s agricultural production workers. These workers were denied overtime pay because of a loophole in the Fair Labor Standards Act that exempted farm workers from overtime pay at time and a half.

UCW, led by union leaders Dean Jenkins and Bobby Cook, both employed by the UT Institute of Agriculture, and with the support of State Representative Harry Tindell, State Senator Tim Burchett, and other allies made the case for changing this unfair situation directly to Vice President Joseph A. DiPietro in early November.

On January 4, 2008 UT officially announced that effective January 7 all agricultural production workers would have a 40 hour work week and overtime pay. Additionally, “no one’s biweekly, monthly, or annual income compensation will be reduced.”

These workers in solidarity with other UT employees showed that standing up and working for change produces results. We have the power to make other changes a reality- we need you in this struggle.

Change happened on the Ag Campus- it can happen in your workplace too!