UC and service workers reach contract

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2009

Lakesha Harrison (310) 877-6878
William Schlitz (510) 701-0810

UC Service Workers Take First Step Out of Poverty with Historic Contract


Oakland, CA – 8,500 UC Service Workers reached agreement with the University of California on a historic contract today that will lift thousands of families out of poverty. After a year and a half of bargaining, custodians, gardeners, food service workers and drivers won this historic agreement that will include significant wage increases, a pay system that rewards seniority and a first time ever statewide minimum wage for their job classifications.

“After a year and half of negotiations, this is truly a historic day. We have gone on strike, held informational pickets, lobbied, ran television commercials and many other things that were key to get UC executives to do the right thing and readjust their priorities from executives to the lowest paid workers at UC.” expressed Lakesha Harrison, President, AFSCME Local 3299.

This new agreement includes wages increases over five years of 4%, 3%, 3%, 3%, and 3%. For the first time, UC service workers will have a state wide minimum wage that reaches $14.00/hour by the end of the contract. In addition the contract includes the adoption of a fair pay system that gives employees credit for their service and dedication to the University. The agreement also includes stronger benefits protections.

“This has been a truly historic fight for all of us. For years, we have been struggling to make ends meet each month on UC’s low wages. Finally UC executives have recognized their moral responsibility to provide a wage increase that will start to lift us and our families out of poverty, and provide better jobs in our communities” stated Kathryn Lybarger, Gardner, UC Berkeley.

Throughout this contract fight, service workers have received strong and wide support. This support includes former President Bill Clinton, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Retired General Wesley Clark, Lt. Governor John Garamendi, Speaker Karen Bass, State Senators Leland Yee, Gil Cedillo, and Gloria Romero, Assemblymembers Anthony Portantino and Julia Brownley and Congress members Barbara Lee, Henry Waxman and Hilda Solis. Their support has included multiple letters, meeting with UC leadership, speaking and appearance boycotts at UC campuses and other forms of public support.

“This is a good settlement. It will give some of the lowest paid workers at the greatest university system in the world enough of a salary to meet the minimum needs of their families,” Lieutenant John Garamendi, a UC regent said. “It should also be noted that only a small portion of the worker’s contract comes from the state budget.”

“We appreciate the strong support of many of California’s leading elected officials and community organizations. Lt. Governor Garamendi, State Senator Leland Yee, Speaker Karen Bass, State Senator Gloria Romero, State Senator Gil Cedillo, Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, CLUE and other religious leaders, and many others helped convey the importance to the leadership of the University to get a fair and just contract for service workers. We appreciate their support for starting to end poverty wages at UC” stated Lakesha Harrison, President, AFSCME Local 3299.

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