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Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Ann Arbor, Michigan
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UMich child care workers report low wages and quality of life amid union negotiations
Across three centers, workers debate if their job is sustainable, pointing to low wages and financial stress ALEXA CHEANEY Daily Staff Reporter
Shelby Kurtz began teaching at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Children’s Center three years ago. She works in the outdoor classroom, where daily activities are dependent on the weather — teachers and children may start a sunny day by biking near campus or spend a snowy morning sledding, encouraging development through experiential learning. Kurtz told The Michigan Daily in an interview that during her time working for the University she has developed close relationships with her coworkers and has found satisfaction in teaching children. However, she often finds herself debating if her job is sustainable, pointing to low wages and financial stress. “It feels like there’s no end to the financial game of this job,” Kurz said. “I constantly wonder if I need to switch careers to be able to afford my housing because it’s not sustainable for me to keep moving as much as I am. I use a lot of my vacation time for that stuff. I’ve used several vacation days because I haven’t had transportation to work.” During her time at NCCC, Kurz has been priced out of her housing, moved three times and been left without reliable transportation after being unable to pay for car repairs. In an effort to alleviate her financial stress, Kurz works more than one job, babysitting and helping her musician friends book gigs on the side. She also said she delayed getting a divorce due to anxiety about being able to support herself. “I have really struggled with my
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The inside of a North Campus Children’s Center classroom Monday afternoon.
mental health,” Kurz said. “I really struggled with getting divorced and figuring out how I’m gonna be able to live on my salary alone. I stayed in a bad relationship for a long time because I knew (leaving) would be a difficult thing to do.” Across three children’s centers, more than 120 full-time staff members provide care to nearly 500 children. Members of University Staff United, a union representing non-supervisory staff at all three U-M campuses, have long advocated for early childhood educators at the University to
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receive a raise. Public salary information from 56 child care center teachers shows an average salary of about $50,323, which, in comparison to Washtenaw county’s $46,000 cost of living for a single adult, leaves a slim disposable income. In an interview with The Daily, USU vice president Terese Theophilus, a teacher in the infant room of NCCC, said securing a higher salary for child care workers was immediately identified as a top priority when the union was founded.
“For the children’s centers, we are at the bottom of what people are getting paid,” Theophilus said. “We all feel that our work is equally as important as any (other) jobs. I don’t care what your title is.” Low wages for educators are not unique to the University; the average annual salary for early childhood educators in Michigan is the lowest nationwide at $43,000. In an email to The Daily, University spokesperson Brian Taylor said the University’s compensation of child care workers is significantly more than the state average.
“The salaries paid to our early childcare educators are some of the highest in the state,” Taylor wrote. “Since 2022, the university has made significant base pay adjustments and provided salary increases to our child care educators. In addition to competitive salary, the university provides comprehensive health benefits and a 10 percent match for employee contributions to the university’s 403B retirement investment program.” Both Kurz and Theophilus told The Daily many teachers are on medical leave for a variety of
reasons. NCCC lead teacher Arzu Aksu, who works with toddlers, has been on medical leave since late October following a home accident that left her with a concussion, broken arm and broken heel. In an interview with The Daily, Aksu said while she did receive full compensation during her medical leave — set to end mid-February — she also saw an increase in her health insurance payments at the beginning of the year when the University discontinued its U-M Health Plan. Given these additional health care costs, Aksu said she feels disrespected by the University’s current bargaining offer of a 3% raise, which falls short of what she and many other USU members feel they need to keep up with the cost of living. “3% doesn’t come close to covering rising health care costs and inflation,” Aksu said. “(The University) recognizes our union, but recognition without fair wages doesn’t solve the problem. Our pay doesn’t reflect our training, experience and real cost of living. This isn’t about extras; it’s about being able to afford basic needs.” Aksu said that low wages affect morale and performance for the teachers despite the required emotional and physical labor of their jobs. “When skilled employees are underpaid it affects morale, retention and ultimately students,” Aksu said. “We want to work collaboratively with the University, but collaboration has to include a meaningful wage increase… We are trusted with (the children’s) safety, development (and) wellbeing. Yet our wages don’t reflect the responsibility we carry.”
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ANN ARBOR
Growing ICE activity heightens fear and sparks Whitmer opposes policy responses in Ann Arbor Trump’s call for federal intervention in “Federal agents can operate in the city, but we can regulate how city property is used and make clear that we are not going to assist civil Michigan elections immigration enforcement.” “Our nation has a long, proud history of running decentralized federal elections.” GRACE PARK
Daily Staff Reporter
In a video posted to YouTube Feb. 4, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer objected to U.S. President Donald Trump’s call for elections to be federally controlled in the lead-up to the 2026 midterms, suggesting that federal agents would directly oversee voting in Michigan. In the video, Whitmer said Trump’s suggestion was an attack against voting rights. “Let me be very clear,” Whitmer said. “Elections will continue to be run at the state level in Michigan. Any attempt by the federal government to take over Michigan elections should be seen for what it is: an attempt to take away your constitutional right to vote.” Trump has repeatedly claimed that widespread voter fraud during the 2020 presidential election occurred in cities such as Atlanta, Detroit and Philadelphia. He said the federal government should intervene in these cities by taking over the responsibility to count votes — a responsibility which currently lies with city clerks and the Secretary of State. “Go to 2020 and look at the facts that are coming out, rigged, crooked elections,” Trump said. “Take a look at Detroit, take a look at Pennsylvania, take a look at Philadelphia. You go take a look at Atlanta, look at some of the places — horrible corruption on elections. And the federal government should not allow that; the federal government should get involved.”
Whitmer disagreed, saying Michigan’s Republican, Democratic and independent clerks, in collaboration with the secretary of state, have been facilitating proper elections. “More than 1,600 Republican, Democratic and Independent clerks across Michigan, and the secretary of state ensure that every citizen can vote and have their vote counted,” Whitmer said. “We certify the accurate results, no matter who wins, and we wish the next officeholder the best of luck as they seek to bring people together and lead us forward.” Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson agreed with Whitmer, telling CNN that Michigan has been following proper voting practices, and that the state should continue to be responsible for running its own elections. “Elections are run by the states,” Benson said. “We do it very well with integrity, securely and effectively, time and time again, and we invite everyone to look at the transparent evidence that reinforces that fact.” Whitmer said the current voting system has been constructed to ensure the nation’s democracy and Michigan’s current election administration practices align with the U.S. Constitution. “Our nation has a long, proud history of running decentralized federal elections,” Whitmer said. “It’s a system that was designed by our founding fathers to protect us against those who try to take and hold power illegitimately or by force.”
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SANJANA SUNILKUMAR
Daily Staff Reporter
Concerns are growing among Ann Arbor residents as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity increases in Washtenaw County. As resident anxiety intensifies, local officials are limiting how federal immigration agents use city property and expanding community organizing and response efforts. On Feb. 2, the Ann Arbor City Council passed a resolution expanding the city’s policy restricting cooperation with civil immigration enforcement. The resolution requires immigration officials to present a warrant to Protesters demonstrate on the Diag during the “Salt The Earth” protest Jan. 30. enter private, nonpublic areas of immigration enforcement is decline in their business.” city facilities and prohibits the driving fear in communities. Edwin said that while the use of city-owned parking lots as “What we’re seeing is that city cannot fully restrict federal ICE staging areas. ICE activity doesn’t always immigration enforcement, it In an interview with The announce itself in a clear or can draw firm boundaries. Michigan Daily, Councilmember transparent way,” Kieffer said. “We don’t have the power to Ayesha Ghazi Edwin, D-Ward “People are being apprehended stop ICE completely, and I want 3, said the response is driven suddenly, families don’t know to be really honest about that,” by visible changes in residents’ where their loved ones are Edwin said. “Federal agents daily behavior and a growing being taken and vehicles are left can operate in the city, but we public safety issue. abandoned in neighborhoods. can regulate how city property “The biggest sign for me is That kind of disruption creates is used and make clear that that people are disappearing fear far beyond the individuals we are not going to assist civil from public life,” Edwin said. who are detained.” immigration enforcement. We “People aren’t going to work, Kieffer said this fear not only can also communicate clearly they’re afraid of driving, they’re harms immigrants, but also local so people understand what not getting health care and kids businesses. protections do exist and where are missing school. When those “I just met yesterday with the limits are.” things start happening across a the county’s health director … The city’s action follows a community, that tells us fear is and they are able to describe a January vote by the Washtenaw increasing, and that fear itself notable decrease in the numbers County Board of Commissioners becomes a public safety issue.” of people who they are seeing restricting ICE access to county In an interview with The in their public service and properties without a warrant. Daily, Chuck Kieffer, an Ann public assistance programs,” LSA senior Ames Lim, Arbor community advocate and Kieffer said. “The stores and co-director of United Asian co-founder of the Movement restaurants that historically American Organizations, said for Immigrant Rights Action, served immigrant populations in an interview with The Daily said uncertainty regarding have witnessed a significant students are increasingly
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relying on each other to decrease anxiety regarding enforcement raids. “There’s been a lot more mobilization around ICE watch and community protection,” Lim said. “People are trying to look out for each other because there isn’t clear, consistent information coming from institutions. That uncertainty causes panic, especially for students who have undocumented or mixed-status family members.” Students have also turned to the University for protection and guidance in the face of ICE activities, though many are dissatisfied with the response it has provided so far. Lim said he thinks the University’s definitions of public and nonpublic spaces, the former of which ICE agents can enter without a warrant, tend to confuse many students.
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