| Coalition of University Employees (CUE) | 2855 Telegraph Ave., Suite #302, Berkeley, CA 94705 Contact CUE (510) 845-2221 (phone), (510) 845-7444 (FAX) |
Original press release on Ascribe website
COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
State Headquarters: 2855 Telegraph Av., Berkeley CA (510) 845-2221 Fax (510) 845-7444
http://www.cueunion.org
OAKLAND, Calif., June 16 (AScribe Newswire) -- Grim-faced uniformed security officers chained the doors, using handcuffs, against a boisterous crowd of workers at the Oakland headquarters of University of California President Robert Dynes this morning. A crowd of approximately 700 workers closed the city block, culminating a 3-day strike called by CUE, the Coalition of University Employees. CUE represents more than 16,000 clerical workers at the statewide campuses, hospitals and laboratories of the University.
Union members were joined by members of other UC unions including AFSCME, UPTE, UAW, AFT and the California Nurses Association, each with common issues of pay and worker rights bringing them in conflict with the University over the past 5 years. CUE's strike resulted from the "impasse" process that was part of 2003-2004 contract bargaining.
Re-opener bargaining on wages, parking & benefit costs went to a State-appointed Fact Finder, Gerald R. McKay, at a five-day hearing in late 2004. His report, released in February of this year, found that $20 million allocated for clerical pay raises had been "diverted" by the University to its own reserves and "other purposes." The money, if granted, would have given workers at least a 4 percent pay boost in 2003-04.
"It's the betrayal of 2005," said Linda Moser, CUE Chief Negotiator for the re-opener bargaining team. "Betrayal of students, taxpayers, standards of decency in negotiations, and a betrayal of the lowest-paid workers of this institution." The University has offered no across-the-board increase for 03-04, choosing to ignore the modest salary recommendations of Arbitrator McKay.
Buses of CUE strikers from UC Davis arrived in Oakland in the morning, virtually doubling the numbers already on the picket line at Franklin Street. A caravan from Santa Cruz was followed by a busload of strikers from the San Francisco Medical Center.
The Oakland crowd was addressed by Oakland City Councilwoman Jane Brunner, Oakland City Council President Ignacio de la Fuente, and by Kris Worthington of the Berkeley City Council. A representative of State Assemblywoman Loni Hancock addressed the crowd, and a letter from U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee expressing her solidarity with CUE workers was read. At its high point, the rally involved approximately 800 workers, students and supporters.
At UCLA, 500 workers signed in early at the strike tables and interrupted traffic on Wilshire Boulevard while strikers assembled in front of the Labor Relations offices at Wilshire Center. Officials meeting strikers at the front of the building were told that if they had nothing to say to help the situation, they should go back up to their desks. They retreated with roars of encouraging laughter from the marchers. Later in the day, Senator Richard Alarcon delivered a powerful address in support of the CUE strike in Los Angeles.
At San Diego, hundreds of clericals struck, despite the fact that campus management at that campus suspended several workers just before the CUE strike - because they had honored earlier strikes in April and May by other UC unions. Systemwide, UC management threatened hundreds of staff with discipline to keep them from participating in CUE's strike, which was a perfectly legal strike under California labor law. The union will file unfair labor practice charges against UC for threatening employees for participating in legal activities. Union spokespersons have described the university as intent on getting rid of unions.
Contact: Linda Moser (916-600-9617), Mary Higgins (415-885-3823), Margy Wilkinson (510-387-1670)
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For more information, contact:
COALITION OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES
State Headquarters: 2855 Telegraph Ave., Berkeley CA
(510) 845-2221; Fax (510) 845-7444
www.cueunion.org