UC employees hold no-confidence vote on President Mark Yudof

Media Advisory UC labor coalition of unions
For immediate release

CONTACT:
(SF) Maria McDevitt, 415-515-6945, megmared [at] comcast.net
(SF) Sanjay Garla, 415-747-2328, sanjay [at] garla.net
(Berkeley) Maricruz Manzanerez, 510-375-0245, mmanzanerez [at] afscme3299.org
(Berkeley) Kathryn Klar, 510-407-1873, kkestrel [at] berkeley.edu



UC employees hold no-confidence vote on President Mark Yudof
Thousands expected to participate in the 6-day vote


WHAT: UC employees voting at polling locations
WHEN & WHERE (two locations):
12pm, Wednesday Aug 26, UC San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue
12pm, Thursday Aug 27, UC Berkeley, Telegraph and Bancroft
VISUALS: lines of employees voting at ballot stations

Employees throughout the University of California system will be participating in a no-confidence vote on UC President Mark Yudof. The vote will take place from Wednesday, August 26 through Wednesday, September 2 on all UC campuses, and results will be announced on September 3rd. The vote has been organized by a coalition of unions protesting Yudof’s budgetary policies and rejecting the notion that UC has a fiscal emergency.

“While the state has reduced funding to UC, it represents less than 3% of UC's $20 billion annual budget,” says Maricruz Manzanerez, a custodian at UC Berkeley and executive board member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME Local 3299). “Rather than using the numerous reserves and resources of UC (see following pages), Yudof proposes tuition hikes and devastating cuts to teaching, research, patient care and other vital services. California deserves University leadership working to maintain the UC mission during these tough times, not destroy it.”

“Yudof is pretending that the university is poor in order to consolidate his power, get more money from the state, students and reduce the salaries of most of the employees,” says Bob Samuels, a lecturer at UCLA and president of University Council – American Federation of Teachers. “Furthermore, in order to show the effect of the state cuts, Yudof has instructed the campuses to make the cuts visible by eliminating classes, laying off workers, increasing class sizes, and making it harder for students to graduate on time. Meanwhile the President and the Regents continue to raise the pay of top administrators, while they claim there is no money.”

The university union coalition is encouraging all employees to register their rejection of Yudof’s policies by participating in the no-confidence vote.



(Local news coverage) CBS 5 : UC EMPLOYEES TO HOLD NO CONFIDENCE VOTE ON PRESIDENT MARK YUDOF
Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:24

http://cbs5.com/localwire/22.0.html?type=bcn&item=NO-CONFIDENCE-VOTE-04-24

Union leaders say that employees throughout the University of California system will begin participating in a no-confidence vote on UC President Mark Yudof today.

Voting will continue through Sept. 2 on all UC campuses and the results will be announced on Sept. 3.

Union leaders say the vote has been organized by a coalition of unions protesting Yudof's budgetary policies. They say they reject Yudof's contention that UC has a fiscal emergency.

Maricruz Manzanerez, a custodian at UC Berkeley and executive board member of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 said in a statement, "While the state has reduced funding to UC, it represents less than 3 percent of UC's $20 billion annual budget."

Manzanerez said, "Rather than using the numerous reserves and resources of UC, Yudof proposes tuition hikes and devastating cuts to teaching, research, patient care and other vital services."

UC employees will be available at polling places at UC San Francisco at 513 Parnassus Ave. in San Francisco at noon Wednesday and at UC Berkeley at Telegraph and Bancroft avenues at noon Thursday.



(letter outlining alternative proposal to Yudof cuts)

To: President Mark Yudof, University of California
From: Lakesha Harrison, President, AFSCME Local 3299
Date: August 18, 2009
Re: Summary Budget Reduction Plan Realignment

KEEPING UC ON MISSION TO BETTER SERVE CALIFORNIANS

In spite of UC’s favorable financial ratings, the Regents have declared a financial emergency that allows the University President to unilaterally impose extraordinary budgetary actions. AFSCME Local 3299 proposes alternative emergency budget measures that protect essential student and patient care services, while redirecting funds from areas that can most withstand temporary reductions. These reductions can provide a stop-gap until UC’s spending priorities are changed to permanently reflect UC’s intended mission as a public university.

Reduce the Top 2% of Earners $220 MILLION
Applying sensible reductions to the University’s top earners will free over $220 million to use for preserving essential services. The alternative—levying reductions on UC’s employees, including low-wage service workers whose families are one step from poverty—will ultimately cost more in public dollars.

Use Short-Term Borrowing as a Stop-Gap $200 MILLION
If UC can borrow $200 million to lend to the state for continued construction, it surely can borrow $200 million to maintain essential services at campuses and medical centers. Prioritizing core services is a smart budget move that saves money by averting the liability and costs of unsafe campus conditions. A recent survey reveals that 94% of service workers responding believe furloughs will worsen current health and safety risks caused by reductions at the campuses. UC can afford this extraordinary stop-gap measure during unprecedented times.

Utilize Medical Center Profits $100 MILLION
UC’s five medical centers made significant profit gains in 2009. According to UCSF CEO Mark Laret, in FY 2009 that single campus “exceeded [the] outstanding level goal … with a bottom line that may exceed $100 million this year.” Other campuses report similar gains, averaging a 5.2% operating margin for the first three quarters of FY 2009. (California hospitals have averaged less than 1% over the last five years reported.) If UC borrowed medical center profits above a 3% operating margin, this would free roughly $100 million for UC’s general operations.

Restructure Debt $75 MILLION
We support the University’s efforts to restructure a portion of its bond debt service, and believe UC should continue with its plans to save $75 million through such means.

Utilize Unrestricted Investments $50 MILLION
The University holds a massive, $8.5 billion investment portfolio, most of which is highly liquid, unrestricted funds. Although UC earmarks these funds for programs, some fraction is discretionary and designated at the will of the Regents. In FY 1993, UC and the State of California tapped into the University’s investments to fund $43 million of a shortfall in UC’s operating budget. Borrowing less than 1% of UC’s unrestricted investments would free $50 million to deal with critical operational needs in this unprecedented state budget situation.

Cut Wasteful Spending $40 MILLION
UC must continue to cut non-essential spending—including, but not limited to, renovations of UC mansions, executive rentals of non-UC property, non-essential travel, and consultants’ contracts—before any consideration of cutting vital services. UC’s receipt of American Reinvestment and Recovery Act funds necessitates an especially judicious approach to reigning in excessive non-core spending.

The proposals above represent a prioritization of UC’s core mission over profit-hoarding, executive pay, and perks. UC must look to the areas most capable of absorbing a temporary redirection to balance the budget, and fulfill its mission as a university system serving the public.