Riverside Press Enterprise (8/27/02)

Original news story on Riverside Press Enterprise website (requires subscription)

UCR workers consider strike

UNION: Clerical employees will decide this month whether to join UC Berkeley's effort.

By LOUISE KNOTT AHERN
THE PRESS-ENTERPRISE

August 27, 2002

RIVERSIDE - Clerical workers at UC Riverside will vote within a month on whether to join a strike that began at UC Berkeley this week.

If a strike is called, workers would likely aim for the first day of classes on Sept. 23, said Rita Skinner, who represents Riverside to the statewide Coalition of University Employees.

About 20 members of the union rallied at UCR on Monday to show support for workers in Berkeley, where hundreds of employees walked off the job just as students arrived on campus for the new year.

Carrying signs and noisemakers, and wearing union T - shirts, employees in Riverside marched around the bell tower and then across campus to the administration building.

"Our goal is to gather as many people as we can to show the administration at Riverside that the strike could happen here, too," Skinner said.

Workers at other UC campuses were voting Monday about whether to join the labor action in Berkeley.

Riverside administrators take the same position as the UC president's office: A strike violates labor laws because an impasse has not yet been declared.

"If we are given notice by the union that they intend to call a strike, we will respond accordingly," said Tony Giorgio, UCR labor relations manager. "We would notify them that there are potential consequences to withholding services. At minimum they won't get paid and there are possible disciplinary actions for not showing up for work."

Clerical workers have gone 15 months without a contract. Sticking points include wages and health care costs.

The union wants a 15 percent raise, but the UC system is offering 1.5 percent. Skinner said that isn't enough because parking fees are expected to rise 10 percent and health care costs are expected to go up between 20 percent and 40 percent.

"It amounts to a decrease in pay," Skinner said. "It's a cut we can ill afford to take."

The three-day Berkeley strike started Monday -- timed to hit the first week of classes there. Lecturers are expected to join the strike Wednesday.

Lecturers are nontenure-track teachers represented by the American Federation of Teachers. Unlike professors, lecturers do not conduct research.

"The strikes are not going to resolve our differences," said Paul Schwartz, spokesman for the UC Office of the President. "The union continues to demand 15 percent increases over two years. Given the state's $23.5 billion budget deficit and the economic recession we're in, that's just not financially possible."

It's unclear yet if other employee groups, including lecturers, will consider a strike in Riverside. The University Professional and Technical Employees union, which represents researchers, health workers and technicians, has a bargaining session planned in Riverside on Sept. 16 and Sept. 17.

"We're meeting weekly to collectively fight the UC administration and their non-respect of employees and workers who make the doors open for students," said Connie Carrasco-Belisie, organizer for the University Professional and Technical Employees.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Reach Louise Knott Ahern at (909) 368-9646