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VOLUME 17, NUMBER 4
APRIL, 1970
[DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
$2 Minimum Wage Begins July 1
Raises Planned for
Other Employes Too
Permanent Duke employes with one
year's service or more will be covered by
a $2 per hour minimum wage beginning
July 1.
Announcement of the planned rate
hike came March 19.
The new rate represents a 20-cent per
hour increase from the current
$1.80-minimum. In addition to the raise
for employes presently making $1.80 per
hour, increases will also be made in other
job classifications.
According to the new scale, new
employes covered by minimum wage will
start at $1.80 per hour, receiving three
advances during their first year to reach
the $2 minimum by the first anniversary-
of their employment.
Duke increased its minimum to $1.45
in May, 1968, with the promise that it
would go to $1.60 by July 1, 1969.
Instead, the University raised its
minimum earlier to $1.60 in October,
1968. Last July, the lowest hiring rate
was raised to $1.66 with increases to
$1.80 for new employes within their first
year of employment.
Two other major developments have
contributed materially to improved
working conditions for Duke employes
during this period. One was a
liberalization of fringe benefits and the
second was the creation of the Duke
University Employees Council through
which the employes have a voice in
matters which directly affect their
employment.
Commenting on the forthcoming wage
hikes, Charles B. Huestis, vice president
for business and finance, said: “Last year
Duke University concentrated on'
improving the working conditions of its
non-academic employes by adding
significantly to the fringe benefits
package and by meeting competition at
the minimum wage level. Many of these
improvements have been accomplished
through the work of the Employee
Council and the University Personnel
Policy Committee in an air of
cooperation and understanding between
the university and its non-academic
employes.
"As a major university," Huestis
continued, "Duke feels a strong
obligation to make working conditions
for its faculty, staff and non-academic
employes a rewarding experience,
realizing that this also will inure to the
benefit of the students who study here. It
is our determination to continually meet
MISS WILMA MINNIEAR
this obligation as forthrightly as sound
fiscal planning will permit."
During the past year Duke established
three-week vacations for all employes
with more than four years of service and
four-week vacations for those with more
than nine years of service; increased
hospitalization benefits; liberalized polici
es concerning overtime, funeral leave and
voting time; and increased its number of
paid holidays from five to eight. A ninth
holiday has been approved, effective in
1970.
The University also has adopted
written policies covering grievance
procedures and fair employment
practices, and has established a training
program to help employes qualify for
higher paying jobs.
Duke Hospital will have a new director
of nursing services July 1.
She is Miss Wilma Minniear, an
associate professor in the School of
Nursing since 1964. Her appointment was
announced by Dr. Stuart M. Sessoms,
director of the hospital.
Miss Minniear succeeds Mrs. Verna
Sticht, former assistant director of
nursing services who has served as acting
director for most of the past year.
In commenting on her responsibilities.
Miss Minniear said she believed that "the
patients served at Duke Hospital have the
right to expect that all personnel will
serve them competently and courteously.
The nursing staff is responsible for a
significant portion of the direct personal
services received by patients, and
therefore, have a crucial role in the
day-to-day delivery of patient care."
(continued on page seven)
M 155 Minniear to Assume Position
As Director of Nursing Services