The SGA Senate voted down a resolution on Thursday, Feb. 10, calling for The University of Alabama to raise the minimum wage for its employees and student workers from $7.25 per hour to $14.50 per hour. 

About 30% of the senators on the floor voted in favor of the resolution, which sought to raise the University’s minimum wage to closely match the $14.55-per-hour living wage for a single adult in Tuscaloosa, per the MIT Wage Calculator.

The resolution’s author, Justin McCleskey, said resisting an increase in UA minimum wage puts the University at a “competitive disadvantage” with other universities that have a minimum wage of $14.50, like Auburn, in enrollment and hiring. 

Despite its failure on the Senate floor, McCleskey said that it has fulfilled its purpose by letting UA administration know that many students want an increase in the University’s minimum wage. 

“I still got to bring it to the floor and showed that we have a ton of student organization support for it,” McCleskey said.

He was not surprised with the resolution’s fate and said it was shot down mostly due to the “Machine vote.” 

“This should be encouragement to run for office this election cycle,” McCleskey wrote in a statement. “When the majority of Senate is Machine involved, they will actively work against student interest.”