STATEMENT: AFSCME 3299 Reacts to Governor’s Veto of SB 376

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 9, 2015

CONTACT: Todd Stenhouse, (916) 397-1131, [email protected]

Measure would have guaranteed “Equal Pay for Equal Work” for University of California Contract Workers

Oakland: “While we are obviously disappointed in the Governor’s decision, we know that today marks only the beginning of our efforts to address the exploitation of low wage contract workers at the University of California. 

We are encouraged by the Governor’s acknowledgment that there is a problem with UC’s growing reliance on low wage contractors to meet its permanent staffing needs—a problem that has been highlighted by recent research, UC’s implementation of a system wide “minimum wage” in response to the concerns we have raised, as well as recent news of State and Federal investigations into widespread allegations of illegal conduct by UC Contractors.  

Going forward, we intend to redouble our efforts to improve transparency and public reporting around these practices, which are too often funded with taxpayer and student tuition dollars. We will continue to demand that UC insource the thousands of full-time contract workers who are right now being asked to do the same jobs as direct UC employees for as much as 53% less pay. And we will not rest until the University of California stops enriching those who profit by growing the ranks of California’s Medi-Cal reliant, working poor.”—Kathryn Lybarger, President of AFSCME Local 3299