UC Berkeley Custodians Move to Civil Disobedience in Fight for Pay Equity

Since last year, custodians who clean the dorms and classrooms at UC Berkeley have been urging the Chancellor to end poverty wages. Currently, a custodian who has worked at U.C. Berkeley for 5 full years is only making approximately $12/hour, while at a neighboring community college, Peralta, they would be earning $18.30. According to the California Budget Project, a single adult must earn at least $13.41 per hour to maintain a minimally sufficient living standard in Alameda County. Workers supporting families must earn considerably more simply to provide decent living standards for themselves and their children.

Recently, the University of California Student Association unanimously adopted a resolution in support of UC custodians and groundskeepers. The resolution clearly outlined this issue and demanded that the University immediately pay the custodians and groundskeepers at UC Berkeley, UC Santa Cruz and UC Santa Barbara wage equity.

“Since last year, we have been fighting to have the University provide wages equal to those given by surrounding community college district for custodians. We work hard and are an important part of the prestige of UC Berkeley. We deserve to be treated as human beings and not paid poverty wages. They need to release the resources and solve this issue.” – Theodora Gonzalez, Custodial Worker, University of California Berkeley & mother of three.