EPCC SUPPORTS STATE WORKERS PROTESTS AGAINST PAY CUTS

EPCC Bulletin
August 8, 2008

EPCC SUPPORTS CALIFORNIA STATE WORKERS PROTESTS

Los Angeles- “NO TO PAY CUTS! “We work, we sweat, we won’t pay your debts!”

The Echo Park Community Coalition (EPCC ) and the Justice for Filipino veterans (JFAV) through its Coordinator Arturo P. Garcia, vehemently condemns California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing an executive order forcing up to 200,000 permanent state workers to start receiving the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour

The EPCC further scores the governor’s executive order that also includes a hiring freeze, no overtime pay and the releasing of contract consultants. (San Francisco Chronicle, Aug. 1) . Additionally, the order will lay off 10,300 contract and part-time workers.

The EPCC also commended State Controller John Chiang, a government official who is in charge of distributing and signing state workers’ paychecks who refused to comply with the governor’s order.

The EPCC and JFAV joined the militant rally-picket led by the SEIU 1000 and their allies to protest that governor’s orders last Thursday, August 7, 2008 at the Ronald Reagan Federal Building at Spring St. Downtown Los Angeles.. More than 300 state workers and their allies held a two-hour mass action.

The EPCC solidly stands behind the Service Employees International Union Local 1000 that have filed a lawsuit challenging the firings. The SEIU and another union have also filed an unfair labor practice complaint alleging that the order is also meant to illegally influence ongoing contract talks. (Associated Press, Aug. 1). Members of the California Attorneys, Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officers in State Employment are also filing lawsuits against the state.

The EPCC believes that pay cuts come at a particularly rough time for workers. As the economic crisis worsens, more workers are losing their homes to foreclosures and food and gas prices continue to rise. Billions of dollars are being wasted on imperialist wars.