On June 6th, George Blumenthal was inaugurated as the 10th Chancellor of UC Santa Cruz during a ceremony on the East Field overlooking the Monterey Bay. Students and workers, organized through the Student and Worker Coalition for Justice (SWCJ) and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), rallied at UCSC, marched to the Chancellor's Inauguration and blocked California Highway One at Mission and Bay during a 10-hour day of action to deliver a loud and clear message -- end poverty wages at the University of California. Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | Video

"As the inauguration activities are occurring, we want our new Chancellor to see all the workers, all the students and our supporters and know we will not back down until we get equal pay for equal work, said Nicolas Gutierrez, Senior Custodian at UCSC, "So many of us are struggling to make ends meet—we can’t afford to wait any longer.”

see also: UC Graduation Speakers to Cancel Statewide Unless 20,000 UC Workers are Guaranteed a Fair Contract || UCSC Inauguration or fenced in Coronation? || Previous Coverage: AFSCME Strike Postponed -- What's Next?