UC Workers Win Equity Fight, End Boycott!
UC Workers Win Equity Fight
Boycotts at UC Berkeley, Irvine, Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara come to an end
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MAY 22, 2007
Oakland – University of California workers, represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, announced today that a settlement has been reached with the University of California to address the wage equity fight for custodians at UC Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz and to end the practice of outsourcing groundskeepers at UC Irvine.
“I am extremely excited about our victory. Over the past year, custodians and groundskeepers at UC Berkeley, Irvine, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz have been fighting to have the University recognize the substandard wages that they were receiving. This is an important first step in having the University address the issue of sustainable and market rate wages for all their employees” said Rosario Cortez, custodian, UC Santa Cruz.
The settlement that was agreed upon was based on the recommendations of retired State Senator John Burton who mediated between both parties in April 2007. The settlement includes an immediate initial wage increase of $1.25 per hour for custodians at UC Berkeley, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. This wage increase is retroactive to April 2007 and will be additionally increased by $.50 per hour in October, 2007. At UC Irvine, out sourced groundskeepers will be brought on as full University of California employees effective July 1, 2007. For custodians at the remaining UC campuses, they will receive an immediate $.50 per hour wage increase. In addition, every low wage worker represented by AFSCME Local 3299 will receive the recently announced wage increase of 2% for those making under $30,000 per year, 1% for those making between $30,000 and $35,000 per year and .5% for those making between $35,000 and $40,000 per year.
“This has been an important struggle for those of us who work very hard every day to make the university work. To finally receive public recognition from the University that they must address their system of substandard wages validates the time and effort that we put into this fight. I am very happy that this initial step in addressing sustainable and market wages was finally agreed upon by the University” said Maricruz Manzanarez, custodian, UC Berkeley.
The agreement that was reached between AFSCME Local 3299 and the University of California also brings to close the effective public boycott of UC Berkeley, Irvine, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz.
“This agreement that was reached today could not have happened without the support for our boycott by such noted individuals as Congresswoman Barbara Lee, acclaimed actor and civil rights activist Danny Glover, Speaker Fabian Nunez, President Pro Tem Don Perata, Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton, Vice President Al Gore, State Senator Leland Yee and many other individuals and organizations. We appreciate their willingness to stand by us for over the past year and help us achieve this settlement that was signed today” expressed Lakesha Harrison, President, AFSCME Local 3299.
