Senator Gloria Romero Honors Boycott

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                             
Contact: Sanjay Garla, AFSCME 3299, 415-747-2328
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Senator Gloria Romero Honors Worker Boycott, Cancel UC Berkeley Graduation Speeches.

Pressure Builds on UC to Meet Worker Demands as Keynote Speakers Refuse to Cross Graduation Picket Lines.

Berkeley, CA - Senator Gloria Romero, the Chair of the Education Senate Committee, announced today she will not deliver the keynote address for the UC Berkeley Latino Student graduation ceremony this Saturday. Instead Senator Romero will honor a speakers boycott that has been called by UC workers and student organizations.

"It was with a heavy heart that I informed the UC Berkeley students and dedicated faculty and staff that I would not appear to deliver my remarks in person. What an irony I would have seen: on one hand, students in robes celebrating the overcoming of obstacles and staking their claim in the American Dream; on the other hand, I would have seen Latino workers-perhaps their own uncles and aunts, holding picket signs asking this internationally acclaimed university to simply pay them a living wage so that the graduates' younger "hermanitos" could one day attend the same university," says Senator Gloria Romero.

Romero joins other keynote speakers who will not be participating in upcoming graduation ceremonies at UC Berkeley until a resolution is reached on the issues:
. Karen Joy Fowler, highly acclaimed author, had planned to speak at the UC Berkeley's English Department Graduation on Sunday, May 23.
. Earlier this week, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-47) canceled her appearance at UC Riverside's College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences Graduation on June 12.

"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."

The boycotts have been called, in part, because of mandatory reductions in hours for low-wage service workers, such as custodians and food service workers. These reductions have caused workers to lose 4-6 percent in take-home pay when some make as little as $24,000 a year. In some of the worst situations, workers whose cuts are concentrated in the summer will lose 20 percent of pay over three months.

The $7 million saved through work hour reductions for members of AFSCME 3299 is overshadowed by $9 million in increases gained by UC executives.

"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."

The American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 (AFSCME 3299) represents over 20,000 University of California service and patient care workers. The UC Berkeley speakers boycott has also been called by the Union of Professional and Technical Employees; CWA Local 1 (UPTE 1) represents UC research support and technical workers.

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