Rep. Loretta Sanchez Cancels UC Riverside Commencement Speech

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Sanjay Garla, AFSCME 3299, 415-747-2328
Paula Winicki, graduating student, 323-821-8909

Rep. Loretta Sanchez Cancels UC Riverside Commencement Speech
Honors Graduation Boycott

Riverside, CA -- Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez announced today that she will not be delivering the commencement address at UC Riverside's June 12 graduation. This announcement is coming on the heels of a graduation speakers boycott that has been called by service and patient care workers at the University of California.

“I have decided not to deliver the commencement address at UC Riverside’s graduation. My family roots are in organized labor and, in good conscience, I cannot and will not cross the picket line to speak," Sanchez said. "I wish nothing but the best for this year’s young graduates and hope they will respect my decision to stand in solidarity with my union brothers and sisters. In Congress, I will continue fighting to ensure that all American workers are treated justly and fairly.”

Organizers of the boycott say that this action has been called because of UC administrators’ continued insistence on giving out executive increases while cutting student services through layoffs and reduction in hours for front line workers. “The pay cut has forced me to use up all my savings, my life insurance money, and now I have nothing left. I can barely afford to pay my rent, and I’m having trouble buying my food and medicines. The cuts may seem small, but they are causing a big negative impact for my family,” said Rebecca Mulay, a custodian at UC Riverside.

“These cuts have been devastating for low-wage workers,” said Lakesha Harrison, president of AFSCME 3299, “Layoffs and reduction in hours are only the tip of the iceberg. UC executives are now proposing massive cuts to our retirement. We may be facing a double whammy – a depletion of our savings now and a gutting of the income we were counting on for our future.”

UC Berkeley will be holding commencement ceremonies starting in the middle of the month. In advance of the ceremonies, two service workers have taken an unprecedented step of joining an ongoing student hunger strike. In addition to demands around immigrant rights, the hunger strike also calls upon UC Berkeley administrators to fully staff student services by hiring back laid off workers, and restoring hours to existing workers. The hunger strike has been going on since Monday, May 3.

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AFSCME 3299 represents over 20,000 University of California service and patient care workers.

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