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8,500 University of California Workers GO OUT ON STRIKE
Picket Lines Go Up at UC Santa Cruz
Picketing Daily, 6am to 8pm, Monday, July 14 – Friday, July 18
Rallies Daily at 12 noon and 5pm
UCSC Campus Main Entrance, 1156 High St at Bay St
Picketing Daily, 6am to 8pm, Monday, July 14 – Friday, July 18
Rallies Daily at 12 noon and 5pm
UCSC Campus Main Entrance, 1156 High St at Bay St
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For phone interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
8,500 University of California Workers GO OUT ON STRIKE
Picket Lines Go Up at UC Santa Cruz
Statewide walkout to end poverty wages for service workers and their families
California – 8,500 service workers at the University of California’s ten campus/five medical center system will begin strike picketing in the early morning on Monday, July 14 to mark the beginning of statewide walkout. The workers, who do everything from cleaning and disinfecting hospitals and dorm rooms, to providing cafeteria service to patients and students, to ensuring hospitals and campuses are secure, have been negotiating in good faith with UC executives for almost a year. They have remained deadlocked over poverty wages for months.
"It is unfortunate that after almost a year of negotiating, it has come to a strike—but with gas and food prices, our families are in crisis. We cannot wait another month for UC executives to end poverty wages – my family could be homeless by then." – Angela Vasquez at UCSD
UC’s poverty wages are as low as $10/hour. Many are forced to take second jobs or go on public assistance just to meet their families’ basic needs. Skyrocketing gas and food prices has deepened the crisis for UC families that are already living paycheck to paycheck. Typically, service workers live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget.
Poverty wages not only affect workers and their families, but UC executives are pushing the costs of paying poverty wages onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year. Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care.
UC wages are dramatically lower than other hospitals and California’s community colleges, which pay 25% higher wages on average. In addition, UC insist on passing on benefit costs, pushing families deeper into poverty. When workers have stood up for better lives for their families and better working conditions, the University has retaliated by violating labor laws.
In an effort to prevent UC workers from standing up for their families, the University sought to stop the strike by going to court. Friday a judge said that workers could not go on strike unless they had given the University the exact strike dates with enough notice. Since UC was served notice of the planned strike dates on Thursday, workers clearly had met the judge’s requirements and expect to prevail in court. UC’s legal action on the eve of the strike was a clear attempt to shift attention away from its refusal to improve poverty wages.
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299, AFL-CIO represents 20,000
patient care and service workers at UC including licensed vocational nurses, medical techs and assistants, respiratory therapists, custodians, cafeteria workers, and security officers.
2201 Broadway Ave, Suite 315 Oakland, CA 94612, (510) 844-1160, media [at] afscme3299.org
###
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For phone interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
8,500 University of California Workers GO OUT ON STRIKE
Picket Lines Go Up at UC Santa Cruz
Statewide walkout to end poverty wages for service workers and their families
California – 8,500 service workers at the University of California’s ten campus/five medical center system will begin strike picketing in the early morning on Monday, July 14 to mark the beginning of statewide walkout. The workers, who do everything from cleaning and disinfecting hospitals and dorm rooms, to providing cafeteria service to patients and students, to ensuring hospitals and campuses are secure, have been negotiating in good faith with UC executives for almost a year. They have remained deadlocked over poverty wages for months.
"It is unfortunate that after almost a year of negotiating, it has come to a strike—but with gas and food prices, our families are in crisis. We cannot wait another month for UC executives to end poverty wages – my family could be homeless by then." – Angela Vasquez at UCSD
UC’s poverty wages are as low as $10/hour. Many are forced to take second jobs or go on public assistance just to meet their families’ basic needs. Skyrocketing gas and food prices has deepened the crisis for UC families that are already living paycheck to paycheck. Typically, service workers live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget.
Poverty wages not only affect workers and their families, but UC executives are pushing the costs of paying poverty wages onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year. Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care.
UC wages are dramatically lower than other hospitals and California’s community colleges, which pay 25% higher wages on average. In addition, UC insist on passing on benefit costs, pushing families deeper into poverty. When workers have stood up for better lives for their families and better working conditions, the University has retaliated by violating labor laws.
In an effort to prevent UC workers from standing up for their families, the University sought to stop the strike by going to court. Friday a judge said that workers could not go on strike unless they had given the University the exact strike dates with enough notice. Since UC was served notice of the planned strike dates on Thursday, workers clearly had met the judge’s requirements and expect to prevail in court. UC’s legal action on the eve of the strike was a clear attempt to shift attention away from its refusal to improve poverty wages.
The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299, AFL-CIO represents 20,000
patient care and service workers at UC including licensed vocational nurses, medical techs and assistants, respiratory therapists, custodians, cafeteria workers, and security officers.
2201 Broadway Ave, Suite 315 Oakland, CA 94612, (510) 844-1160, media [at] afscme3299.org
###
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
University of California Service Workers STRIKE: DAY 2
Thousands continue statewide walkout and stand up against poverty wages
July 15, 2008 (California) – Across the University of California’s ten campus/five medical center system, 8,500 service workers will continue to strike against poverty wages today. Yesterday, thousands of custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service staff walked off the job. They were joined by community members, elected leaders, and UC medical staff who refused to cross the picket lines in support of the service workers, who have been negotiating in good faith for eleven months.
UC’s poverty wages are as low as $10 per hour. Many are forced to take second jobs or go on public assistance just to meet their families’ basic needs. Skyrocketing gas and food prices have deepened the crisis for UC families that are already living paycheck to paycheck. Typically, service workers live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget.
Poverty wages not only affect workers. Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded programs: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
“UC executives don’t pay service workers enough to survive, but expect taxpayers to pick up the tab in the form of public assistance. We expect that from Wal-Mart - not from a public institution – that’s double dipping. – Lakesha Harrison, UC Licensed Vocational Nurse and President of AFSMCE Local 3299
UC wages are an average of 25% behind their peers at other hospitals and California’s community colleges. However, UC executives reported that they have offered a 26% wage increase. This is incredibly misleading as it was only for patient care workers, not the service workers who are currently on strike. For the majority of the 8,500 striking service workers living in poverty, UC executives have guaranteed 0% in wage increases.
Though the workers had served notice, UC sought a court order against the strike, and threatened disciplinary action against participants. “UC executives are not only paying us poverty wages, they are trying to take away our right to stand up for our families. This is a crisis, and we are going to do whatever it takes to put a roof over our families’ heads and put food on the table.” – Matt Tidd, UC Davis Campus worker.
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
University of California Service Workers STRIKE: DAY 2
Thousands continue statewide walkout and stand up against poverty wages
July 15, 2008 (California) – Across the University of California’s ten campus/five medical center system, 8,500 service workers will continue to strike against poverty wages today. Yesterday, thousands of custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service staff walked off the job. They were joined by community members, elected leaders, and UC medical staff who refused to cross the picket lines in support of the service workers, who have been negotiating in good faith for eleven months.
UC’s poverty wages are as low as $10 per hour. Many are forced to take second jobs or go on public assistance just to meet their families’ basic needs. Skyrocketing gas and food prices have deepened the crisis for UC families that are already living paycheck to paycheck. Typically, service workers live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget.
Poverty wages not only affect workers. Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded programs: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
“UC executives don’t pay service workers enough to survive, but expect taxpayers to pick up the tab in the form of public assistance. We expect that from Wal-Mart - not from a public institution – that’s double dipping. – Lakesha Harrison, UC Licensed Vocational Nurse and President of AFSMCE Local 3299
UC wages are an average of 25% behind their peers at other hospitals and California’s community colleges. However, UC executives reported that they have offered a 26% wage increase. This is incredibly misleading as it was only for patient care workers, not the service workers who are currently on strike. For the majority of the 8,500 striking service workers living in poverty, UC executives have guaranteed 0% in wage increases.
Though the workers had served notice, UC sought a court order against the strike, and threatened disciplinary action against participants. “UC executives are not only paying us poverty wages, they are trying to take away our right to stand up for our families. This is a crisis, and we are going to do whatever it takes to put a roof over our families’ heads and put food on the table.” – Matt Tidd, UC Davis Campus worker.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
UC STRIKE DAY 3: Community Donates Groceries to Impoverished Workers
State Legislators To Support Striking Workers Against Disciplinary Actions From UC Executives
California – On the third day of the service workers’ strike at the University of California, community members from across the State will show an outpouring of support for the strikers by donating groceries and providing food assistance. UC service workers and their families are living in crisis, struggling to make ends meet on UC’s poverty wages. They have been on strike since Monday, July 14th after eleven months of bargaining in good faith.
Additionally, when these 8,500 service workers stood up for better lives for their families, UC executives sought a court order against the strike. Senator Leland Yee and other key legislators have pledged to stand by any UC worker who is unjustly disciplined by an executive on State payroll.
"If even one worker is retaliated against for exercising their right to strike, I will do everything in my power to appropriately respond to the University," said Sen. Yee. “It is unconscionable what the UC administration is doing to these workers and their families. While UC executives live high on the hog, workers, students, and patients are left in the cold.”
UC’s wages are as low as $10 per hour for thousands of custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service staff. Groceries and other food assistance is being distributed on the picket line and at local churches by religious leaders and community members to help these families who are facing a crisis caused by skyrocketing food and gas prices and stagnant wages. Typically, service workers live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget.
“First UC executives don’t pay us enough to put bread on the table for our families, and then they try to tell us we do not have the right to stand up and fight to feed our families. We are grateful for the community support, which gives us courage to keep standing up to UC,” says Jaron Quetel, worker at UCLA.
Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. Many take on second jobs to make ends meet. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
UC wages are dramatically behind their peers at other hospitals and California’s community colleges, where they pay on average 25% more. However, UC executives reported that they have offered a 26% wage increase. This is incredibly misleading as it was only for patient care workers, not the service workers who are currently on strike. For the majority of the 8,500 striking service workers living in poverty, UC executives have guaranteed 0% in wage increases.
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
UC STRIKE DAY 3: Community Donates Groceries to Impoverished Workers
State Legislators To Support Striking Workers Against Disciplinary Actions From UC Executives
California – On the third day of the service workers’ strike at the University of California, community members from across the State will show an outpouring of support for the strikers by donating groceries and providing food assistance. UC service workers and their families are living in crisis, struggling to make ends meet on UC’s poverty wages. They have been on strike since Monday, July 14th after eleven months of bargaining in good faith.
Additionally, when these 8,500 service workers stood up for better lives for their families, UC executives sought a court order against the strike. Senator Leland Yee and other key legislators have pledged to stand by any UC worker who is unjustly disciplined by an executive on State payroll.
"If even one worker is retaliated against for exercising their right to strike, I will do everything in my power to appropriately respond to the University," said Sen. Yee. “It is unconscionable what the UC administration is doing to these workers and their families. While UC executives live high on the hog, workers, students, and patients are left in the cold.”
UC’s wages are as low as $10 per hour for thousands of custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service staff. Groceries and other food assistance is being distributed on the picket line and at local churches by religious leaders and community members to help these families who are facing a crisis caused by skyrocketing food and gas prices and stagnant wages. Typically, service workers live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget.
“First UC executives don’t pay us enough to put bread on the table for our families, and then they try to tell us we do not have the right to stand up and fight to feed our families. We are grateful for the community support, which gives us courage to keep standing up to UC,” says Jaron Quetel, worker at UCLA.
Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. Many take on second jobs to make ends meet. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
UC wages are dramatically behind their peers at other hospitals and California’s community colleges, where they pay on average 25% more. However, UC executives reported that they have offered a 26% wage increase. This is incredibly misleading as it was only for patient care workers, not the service workers who are currently on strike. For the majority of the 8,500 striking service workers living in poverty, UC executives have guaranteed 0% in wage increases.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara, 831-239-2898
William Schlitz, 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
UC STRIKE DAY 4: No Settlement Near…
Workers Struggle with High Gas and Food Prices, and Home Mortgage Crisis
California – Kat Bedford is a shuttle driver with strikingly beautiful amber colored eyes and long lashes. She says her family is in crisis and on the verge of losing their home because of stagnant wages. Kat lives in Antioch and commutes to her job at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, part of the UC system. Skyrocketing gas and food prices are eating up a larger chunk of her paycheck every day. Although she has been at UC for 11 years, her wages have not kept pace with the cost of basic necessities for her and her two children.
“I’ve been one payment away from losing my home since October,” she says. “Where would I go? What would I do with my kids? I’m up every night worrying about it.”
Kat is just one of the 8,500 service workers who are on strike this week at the University of California. On the fourth day of the service workers strike, there is no movement by UC executives to put an end to the poverty wages. The strike comes after nearly a year negotiations. Workers across the state have similar stories to Kat’s.
UC custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service staffs’ wages are as low as $10 per hour. Many are forced to take on second jobs, or go on public assistance to make ends meet. Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
Additionally, when these workers stood up for better lives for their families, UC executives responded by seeking a court order against the strike and threatening workers with discipline. Senator Leland Yee and other key legislators have pledged to stand by any UC worker who is unjustly disciplined by an executive on State payroll.
In an outpouring of support from the community, food assistance is being distributed on picket lines and at local churches by religious leaders and community members to help struggling families. Like Kat, service workers typically live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget. Often families are left with the choice buying groceries for the week or gas to get to work.
“At this stage in my life, with a full time job and another part-time, I never thought I would be getting food assistance,” said Patricia Olivares, a UCSF employee of 18 years, “Especially when the CEO gets over $80,000 for a bonus—that is not right.”
UC wages are dramatically behind their peers at other hospitals and California’s community colleges, where they pay on average 25% more. For the majority of the 8,500 striking service workers living in poverty, UC executives have guaranteed 0% in wage increases.
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara, 831-239-2898
William Schlitz, 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
UC STRIKE DAY 4: No Settlement Near…
Workers Struggle with High Gas and Food Prices, and Home Mortgage Crisis
California – Kat Bedford is a shuttle driver with strikingly beautiful amber colored eyes and long lashes. She says her family is in crisis and on the verge of losing their home because of stagnant wages. Kat lives in Antioch and commutes to her job at the Lawrence Berkeley Lab, part of the UC system. Skyrocketing gas and food prices are eating up a larger chunk of her paycheck every day. Although she has been at UC for 11 years, her wages have not kept pace with the cost of basic necessities for her and her two children.
“I’ve been one payment away from losing my home since October,” she says. “Where would I go? What would I do with my kids? I’m up every night worrying about it.”
Kat is just one of the 8,500 service workers who are on strike this week at the University of California. On the fourth day of the service workers strike, there is no movement by UC executives to put an end to the poverty wages. The strike comes after nearly a year negotiations. Workers across the state have similar stories to Kat’s.
UC custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service staffs’ wages are as low as $10 per hour. Many are forced to take on second jobs, or go on public assistance to make ends meet. Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
Additionally, when these workers stood up for better lives for their families, UC executives responded by seeking a court order against the strike and threatening workers with discipline. Senator Leland Yee and other key legislators have pledged to stand by any UC worker who is unjustly disciplined by an executive on State payroll.
In an outpouring of support from the community, food assistance is being distributed on picket lines and at local churches by religious leaders and community members to help struggling families. Like Kat, service workers typically live in low income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget. Often families are left with the choice buying groceries for the week or gas to get to work.
“At this stage in my life, with a full time job and another part-time, I never thought I would be getting food assistance,” said Patricia Olivares, a UCSF employee of 18 years, “Especially when the CEO gets over $80,000 for a bonus—that is not right.”
UC wages are dramatically behind their peers at other hospitals and California’s community colleges, where they pay on average 25% more. For the majority of the 8,500 striking service workers living in poverty, UC executives have guaranteed 0% in wage increases.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara, 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
UC STRIKE FINAL DAY: Workers to Return to Jobs with Heightened Support
UC Executives on State Payroll Continue to Keep Service Workers in Poverty While Paying Themselves Excessive Salaries
California – Today marks the final day of the University of California service workers’ strike. After five days of picketing at UC’s ten campuses and five medical centers, the 8,500 striking workers will begin returning to their jobs after 12:00am Saturday morning. Though the strike has produced an outpouring of public and political support, UC executives have given no indication that they are willing to lift workers from poverty.
The strike raised the public and elected officials’ awareness about the UC administration’s ongoing misplaced priorities. Not only are UC executives under fire for paying themselves lavish salaries with taxpayer dollars, but the public is now outraged that they are forcing service workers to use taxpayer-funded public assistance programs by keeping them in poverty.
State elected officials, many of whom walked the picket line, chastised UC executives for threatening to take disciplinary action against any worker who participated in the strike and thirty-four Assemblymembers wrote a letter to UC executives with their concerns that the threats were counterproductive to reaching a settlement.
“When I walked out on strike, I was threatened with disciplinary action, but I moved forward because I knew it was about putting food on the table for my family,” said Charles Ortega a worker at UC Irvine, “I am so glad I did because now the public sees UC executives’ greed.”
The service workers on the bargaining committee called for the strike to last five days because of the financial hardship of the strike on an already impoverished workforce. UC custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service workers are paid as little as $10 per hour. They typically live in low-income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget. With skyrocketing food and gas prices, many are forced to take on second jobs, or go on public assistance to make ends meet.
Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
“At this stage in my life, with a full time job and another part-time, I never thought I would be getting food assistance,” said Patricia Olivares, a UCSF employee of 18 years, “Especially when the CEO gets over $80,000 for a bonus—that is not right.”
Contact: Allison Sirny-Guevara, 831-239-2898
William Schlitz 510-701-0810
For interviews with workers, contact Betsy Twitchell, 510-282-2338
UC STRIKE FINAL DAY: Workers to Return to Jobs with Heightened Support
UC Executives on State Payroll Continue to Keep Service Workers in Poverty While Paying Themselves Excessive Salaries
California – Today marks the final day of the University of California service workers’ strike. After five days of picketing at UC’s ten campuses and five medical centers, the 8,500 striking workers will begin returning to their jobs after 12:00am Saturday morning. Though the strike has produced an outpouring of public and political support, UC executives have given no indication that they are willing to lift workers from poverty.
The strike raised the public and elected officials’ awareness about the UC administration’s ongoing misplaced priorities. Not only are UC executives under fire for paying themselves lavish salaries with taxpayer dollars, but the public is now outraged that they are forcing service workers to use taxpayer-funded public assistance programs by keeping them in poverty.
State elected officials, many of whom walked the picket line, chastised UC executives for threatening to take disciplinary action against any worker who participated in the strike and thirty-four Assemblymembers wrote a letter to UC executives with their concerns that the threats were counterproductive to reaching a settlement.
“When I walked out on strike, I was threatened with disciplinary action, but I moved forward because I knew it was about putting food on the table for my family,” said Charles Ortega a worker at UC Irvine, “I am so glad I did because now the public sees UC executives’ greed.”
The service workers on the bargaining committee called for the strike to last five days because of the financial hardship of the strike on an already impoverished workforce. UC custodians, food service workers, security officers, and other service workers are paid as little as $10 per hour. They typically live in low-income communities farther away from campus, forcing a longer commute and higher fuel costs that use a disproportionate portion of their budget. With skyrocketing food and gas prices, many are forced to take on second jobs, or go on public assistance to make ends meet.
Roughly 96% are eligible for at least one of the following taxpayer-funded program: food stamps, WIC, public housing subsidies, and subsidized child care. By not paying workers enough to support their families, UC executives are pushing these costs onto California taxpayers in a difficult budget year.
“At this stage in my life, with a full time job and another part-time, I never thought I would be getting food assistance,” said Patricia Olivares, a UCSF employee of 18 years, “Especially when the CEO gets over $80,000 for a bonus—that is not right.”
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