When President Hennessy announced last May that he was raising the “living wage” for subcontracted workers by 10.9 percent, many onlookers were led to believe that Stanford’s workers were finally gaining the recognition — and compensation — that they deserve for all the work they do to maintain our campus. However, what may appear to be a treat is in fact no more than a trick!

The principle behind the Living Wage Policy is laudable and simple enough: The University has an obligation to pay workers a wage that will allow them to cover at least minimal costs of living in this expensive area. Hennessy has affirmed this principle repeatedly, but a glance at the fine print reveals how little substance his policy actually contains.

Hennessy’s “living wage” policy excludes workers in a union, workers at Stanford Hospital, workers hired directly by Stanford University, workers whose employers’ contracts are for less than a year, workers whose employers’ contracts are for less than $100,000 per year and workers who work less than 30 hours per week for six months. We know of no worker — and despite all their research, the Presidential Advisory Committee on Workplace Policies(PAC) could find no worker — who actually qualified for a wage increase under Hennessy’s so-called living wage policy. The PAC criticized the University for its empty rhetoric, saying “We are unanimous in the belief that, if a living wage policy is adopted by Stanford University, it should be transparent and meaningful. That is, Stanford University should not declare that it operates a living wage policy, but then apply conditions and qualifications that have the effect of excusing many Contracted workers from that policy.”

We agree wholeheartedly with the PAC, and we believe that this trick has gone on long enough. Students who agree may visit http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/583047791 to sign a petition telling President Hennessy to implement policies commensurate with his rhetoric, with the founding principles of the University, and with the expectations of the Stanford Community.

Alexandra Goldman is a senior majoring in urban studies. She can be reached at arg@stanford.edu.