Politicians Stand Up for UC Berkeley Custodians!

US Congresswoman Barbara Lee, Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates, and Assemblywoman Wilma Chan have something in common. They are helping UC custodians fight for justice.

Poverty Wages

In spite of scandalous Executive Compensation they defend by saying they must pay “the market,” UC Berkeley continues to pay custodians nearly 40% below Community College and Cal State University custodians.

According to the California Budget Project, starting pay for UC Berkeley custodians is 33% below the Bay Area living wage of $16.88/ for a family for four with two wage earners.

Does Cal Have the Money?

This year, in addition to receiving a $400,000 salary, a $97,000 moving stipend, free car, an enhanced retirement and health care package, UC Berkeley Chancellor Birgeneau was also entitled to a $150,000 “house maintenance” fund for his free home. The house maintenance fund is six times the amount a UC Berkeley custodian earns in a year.

In addition, UC Berkeley Housing and Dining, where many of the custodians work, ahd a $2 million dollar surplus this year.

Politicians Cancel Appearances at Cal

Several politicians have agreed not to set foot on UC Berkeley grounds until the dispute is resolved.

“As proud graduates of UC Berkeley, we are appalled that our University is paying members of our community, the custodians, poverty wages,” state Barbara Lee and Tom Bates.

In addition to Barbara Lee, who canceled a speech there on March 18, Hanford Assemblywoman Nicole Parra refused to cross custodians’ picket line on April 8 to receive an award at Berkeley’s Annual Gala.

“We have a rich history of education and standing up for all Californians and we must honor that history and pay our custodians a wage that provides dignity for them and their families. If the area community colleges and California Sate University can do it we must find a way immediately at UC Berkeley to remedy this injustice,” urge Lee and Bates.