One family's struggle for survival and fair wages in the University of Maine System

As an information technology desktop support manager at the University of Maine at Farmington, I have witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of inflation on my family.

For families like mine who have a child battling cancer, the rising costs of everything from food to medical care have become a daily struggle. It's heartbreaking.

My three-year-old son Blair was diagnosed with cancer last year. But cancer isn't our only battle – it's the rising cost of living. Rising food prices have made it nearly impossible to ensure Blair gets the proper nutrition he needs to stay strong. We've had to compromise on the quality of the food we buy, a deeply painful reality for any parent.

Every trip to the grocery store reminds us that we have to make choices we shouldn't be making – between our budget and our son's health.

Energy costs have also hit us hard. We rely on electricity, oil and wood to heat our home and price increases over the past few years have forced us to make difficult decisions. Add to that the constant trips to Blair's doctor's appointments and the wear and tear on our car quickly adds up.

Repairs that were once doable now represent a major financial burden. Inflation affects everything and makes an already stressful time seem even more overwhelming.

Despite a recent promotion and raise, my family is still struggling. University salaries are simply not enough to cover living expenses, making it difficult for me to provide for my family.

I also feel robbed of the opportunity to give my children the experiences they deserve. Blair's illness already limits what we can do as a family, but inflation has made it even worse. Simple trips or activities that once brought joy and relief are now out of reach. We've had to say “no” far more often than we would have liked. As parents, we are forced into situations where we must constantly deprive our children of the experiences that make their childhood special.

At the university, the impact of inflation is just as evident. As a manager, I see the challenges of recruiting and retaining talent. The salaries we offer at UMF are uncompetitive, so we are unable to attract the candidates we need. During one of Blair's chemo treatments, I even stopped at a local McDonald's and saw their starting salaries – shockingly close to what we offer for entry-level IT positions. How can we build a successful team if we can't offer salaries that match the competition?

I stay at UMF because I care about this community and the work we do. But my loyalty to the university doesn't change the fact that my family is struggling. Despite my increased responsibilities and loyalty, I am less financially secure today than I was a few years ago. The rising cost of living has eaten up any salary increases. That is the reality for many families right now.

But my colleagues and I have been working under expired contracts since July 1, which only increases our financial burden. We need wages at the University of Maine System that reflect the world we live in.

Families like mine are being squeezed. A fair cost of living adjustment is about more than just numbers – it's about survival. It's about giving families the opportunity to breathe, plan for the future, and live without constant financial stress. It's about showing respect to our dedicated University of Maine System employees for the critical role they play in preparing Maine's future workforce.

Inflation has reduced our income, but UMS has the ability to step in and pay us fair wages. This gives us back what we have lost – hope.

For the sake of our families and our future, it is time to take meaningful steps to support the workers who make our community strong.

Blair Fenning of Farmington is the manager of desktop support services for the IT department at the University of Maine at Farmington. His views are his own and do not represent the views of UMS.

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