AFSCME Local 3299 Contact Us
HomeHow Our Union WorksMediaHolding Politicians AccountableContracts/BargainingActions and UpdatesResources
Together We're Stronger AFSCME Local 3299 Address
 
  ‹ Current News
  ‹ Press Releases
  ‹ News Archives
  ‹ Reports
 

Current News

Tuesday November 24, 2009
The Daily Sound: The University of California, Inc.

By RANDY ALCORN — Nov. 24, 2009 As expected, the University of California’s Board of Regents has raised tuition fees by 32%. Such a steep increase in the price of anything usually triggers a certain incredulity as to its justification. Oil companies were widely suspected of price gouging when fuel prices quickly spiked by 50% last year. How can anything suddenly cost so much more?

[ visit site ]

Thursday, September 03, 2009 | 6:07 PM
ABC NEWS: UC employees Have No Confidence In Yudof

OAKLAND, CA -- Union leaders said today that 96 percent of University of California employees across the state who participated in a weeklong poll say they have no confidence in UC President Mark Yudof.

[ visit site ]

Thursday December 10, 2009
LA Times: Why privatizing the University of California won't work

University of California President Mark G. Yudof went to Sacramento this week in another valiant effort to convince legislators that they're playing with fire when they shortchange the state's higher-education system. In the course of his presentation, he gingerly mentioned the P-word.

[ visit site ]

Sunday December 6, 2009
Examiner: California Labor Union Demands Resignation of UC Technology Chief

The University of California labor union (AFSCME) is demanding the immediate resignation of David J. Ernst, the university executive accused of pocketing more than $150,000 in improper expense reimbursements during his tenure at California State University.

[ visit site ]

September 16, 2009
SF Chronicle: Police Arrest 14 at UC Regents Meeting

"Whose university? Our university!" chanted dozens of UC students, alumni, faculty and staff who expressed fury at UC President Mark Yudof for asking the regents to raise student tuition by 32 percent by next year.

[ visit site ]

September 16, 2009
Merced Sun Star: Another blow for middle class

Another staggering tuition increase being proposed at University of California campuses is wrong-headed, and will damage California for years to come.

[ visit site ]

September 11, 2009
SF Chronicle: UC President Recommends Huge Tuition Increases

UC President Mark Yudof is recommending a 15 percent increase in in-state undergraduate fees that would take effect next spring, and another 15 percent increase on top of that beginning in fall 2010.

[ visit site ]

September 10, 2009
Contra Costa Times: UC proposing 32 percent fee hike

The University of California may raise student fees 32 percent by next fall, boosting annual undergraduate tuition over the $10,000 level for the first time ever.

[ visit site ]

September 10, 2009
California Chronicle: Legislature Approves Bill to Rein in UC, CSU Executive Pay

In 2009 alone, the UC Board of Regents has already approved approximately $9 million in executive compensation increases.

[ visit site ]

September 09, 2009
UC, CSU Executive Pay Bill Resurrected, Approved by Assembly

SACRAMENTO – Legislation to prohibit executive pay raises during bad budget years at the University of California and the California State University was resurrected today after it was all but killed last week when the Assembly Appropriations Committee held the bill.

[ visit site ]

Saturday November 21, 2009
CNN: Third day of fee protests at California universities

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Demonstrators entered their third day of a building takeover at UC Santa Cruz on Saturday in protest of a tuition increase, an undertaking that a school spokesman called futile.

[ visit site ]

Saturday November 21, 2009
MercuryNews.com: Santa Cruz students still occupy building in protest. UC-Berkeley quiet

Protests by University of California students angered by planned tuition hikes continued in Santa Cruz on Saturday with a possible confrontation with police in the offing following unsuccessful negotiations between students and administrators.

[ visit site ]

Saturday December 5, 2009
LA Times: Abandoning California's commitment to education

In 1960, a committee of educators working under the leadership of the visionary University of California President Clark Kerr handed Pat Brown, an equally farsighted governor, something he'd long hoped for: a master plan for higher education in California.

[ visit site ]

November 19, 2009
California Progress Report: UC Regents Raise Fees 32% Amid Bleak Economic News

By David M. Greenwald- As expected, a committee of the UC Regents voted on Wednesday to raise student fees by a total of 32 percent over the next year. These hikes will bring the annual cost of a UC education above $10,000 for the first time ever. The full board is expected to ratify these changes today.

[ visit site ]

Friday, September 4, 2009
SF Chronicle: UC Workers Deliver No-Confidence Vote to Yudof

The vote of no confidence is just one sign that employees are unhappy. Faculty members from every campus except UCSF are also calling for a systemwide walkout on Sept. 24, when most of UC returns to school, to draw attention to California's disinvestment in public universities.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
SF Chronicle: UC Berkeley Students Take Over Building

BERKELEY --UC Berkeley students took over a campus building in protest this morning, a day after the University of California regents voted to raise tuition by 32 percent.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
Fee hike and budget cuts trigger the occupation of Wheeler Hall

A daylong occupation of a classroom building at UC Berkeley on Friday ended with the arrests of 41 students who had barricaded themselves inside to protest budget cuts and steep hikes in student fees, university officials said.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
Breaking News AP: UC students occupy buildings to protest fee hike

BERKELEY, Calif. — Students barricaded themselves inside buildings on University of California campuses to protest a 32 percent increase in student fees and budget cuts that have led to slashed programs and lost jobs.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
San Jose Mercury: UC Santa Cruz students continue to block Kerr Hall

SANTA CRUZ — Protesters who took over Kerr Hall, the home of UC Santa Cruz administration, Thursday afternoon continue to demonstrate there today over historic fee hikes and budget cuts made by the 10-campus university system's governing body.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
SF Chronicle: UC Regents Approve Steep Tuition Hike

LOS ANGELES - -- The University of California regents voted Thursday to raise tuition by 32 percent as angry students pounded drums and blocked exits to the UCLA building where the regents were meeting.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
The Daily Californian: UCLA Protests Escalate As Fee Hikes Approved

LOS ANGELES-A demonstration Thursday by about 2,000 protesters at UCLA centered around the passage of a 32 percent student fee hike by the UC Board of Regents.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
La Opinion: A Blow to Students

Higher education is an investment in an individual’s professional and personal development and in the human infrastructure necessary to keep California’s economy competitive. The University of California system’s 30% fee hike is a threat to these goals.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
CNN: Students Arrested After 32% Tuition Hike Sparks Protests

(CNN) -- Authorities arrested dozens of angry students at the University of California, Davis, campus late Thursday after they refused to vacate the school's administration building in protest of a 32-percent tuition hike.

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
AP: STUDENTS REVOLT!

[ visit site ]

Friday, November 20, 2009
AP: Dozens occupying UC Berkeley building arrested

The occupiers were demanding laid-off custodial workers be rehired and amnesty for anyone arrested in the protest.

[ visit site ]

Friday December 4, 2009
SF Chronicle: Anger over excessive CSU spending continues with call to resign

It's been one day since a state audit took a former California State University employee -- and current University of California worker -- to task for charging taxpayers for what the auditor deemed inappropriate expenses ($150k worth of plane rides, expensive meals, costly hotel rooms, home bills ... the list goes on).

[ visit site ]

Friday December 4, 2009
Sacramento Bee: Union wants UC official ousted over audit

A University of California labor union is calling for the resignation of David J. Ernst, the executive a state audit found was improperly reimbursed more than $150,000 when he worked for the California State University system. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents 20,000 UC custodians, food service workers and other support staff, sent a letter to UC President Mark Yudof on Friday saying Ernst's "jet-setting global junkets, lavish meals and opulent retreats at taxpayer expense is an insult to workers who have been asked to put less food on their tables and students who have been forced to forgo their dreams."

[ visit site ]

Friday December 4, 2009
California Chronicle: Senator Yee Calls on University Executive to Return Improper Payments

SACRAMENTO –While a state audit released yesterday unveiled over $150,000 in improper expense reimbursements to a former CSU executive, it did not disclose that the same individual is now receiving a public salary of $238,000 annually at the University of California. Today, Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) called on David Ernst, who is currently the Chief Information Officer and Associate Vice President for Information Technology at UC, to immediately return $152,441 to the CSU.

[ visit site ]

2009-07-07
AFSCME Sues UC to Force Transparency on Expenditures

Sacramento Business Journal: "A large public-sector union has filed a lawsuit against the University of California seeking public records on how the university spends its money."

[ visit site ]

2009-04-21
Making the Cut: Slash Funding From Other Places

The Budget Crisis Should Not Affect the Wages of Dedicated University Workers.

[ visit site ]

2009-01-13
Gloria Steinem Cancels UCLA & UC Davis Events in Support of UC Workers

LA Times

California Aggie

Sacramento Bee

[ visit site ]

2008-12-03

Robert Kennedy Jr., Mario Savio Memorial Lecture, & Van Jones Move Speeches Off UC Berkeley Campus in Support of UC Service Workers Fight to End Poverty Wages at UC

Oakland Tribune

Berkeleyan Online

Other Coverage:

UCSD Guardian

[ visit site ]

2008-10-8
UC Workers Launch TV Ads During Football Games

Two new TV ads featuring UC workers and their stories will be airing during Cal & Bruins games this fall. From the airwaves to the streets, we're turning up the heat!

Watch the TV Ads

Daily Bruin article

[ visit site ]

2008-09-16
UC Workers Want Larger Role in Governing Pension

Lawmakers have introduced a constitutional amendment proposal that he said would help restore confidence inthe UC Retirement System — by bringing UC employees to the table.

Contra Costa Times story here

Capitol Public Radio segment

[ visit site ]

2008-07-16
8,500 UC Service Workers Move Forward with Five-Day Strike

Daily Bruin Op-Ed story here

Daily Californian Op-Ed story here

San Francisco Chronicle Op-Ed story here

LA Times Op-Ed story here

KQED Forum with Michael Krasny story here

Sacramento Bee story here

CBS Sacramento story here

CBS Los Angeles story here

San Francisco Chronicle story here

San Diego Union-Tribune story here

Associated Press story here

KEYT 3 story here

[ visit site ]

2008-06-19
Clinton, RFK Jr, Nunez to Cancel Graduation Speeches

Sacramento News & Review article

San Diego Union-Tribune article

LA Times article

Sacramento Business Journal article

Daily News article

Oakland Tribune article

San Diego Guardian article

Register Pajaronian article

[ visit site ]

2008-05-23
AFSCME Workers OK Two-Day June Strike at UC Hospitals and Campuses

"University of California patient care and service workers have voted overwhelmingly to approve a two-day strike June 4 and 5, Local 3299 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees said Friday. As many as 3,000 San Francisco Bay Area AFSCME members, and 20,000 statewide, could go out on strike."

Press Release here

San Francisco Business Journal article

KTVU News article

Daily Bruin article

[ visit site ]

2008-05-07
Empleados de UC Claman por Aumento

"Muchos de ellos se ven obligados a tener dos trabajos para poder llegar a finales de mes."

Lea La Opinion noticias aqui

UC Employees Demand a Raise (English)

[ download document ]

2008-04-18
Food Workers Win Right to UCD Jobs

After years of hard fighting, Sodexho food service workers at UCD have finally won direct UC jobs and AFSCME 3299 union representation.

Davis Enterprise story here

Read Report "From The Shadows" here

[ more ]

2008-02-28
AFSCME 3299 & UC Still at Odds Despite Mediation

“It’s disrespectful and a slap in the face. ... We still have people collecting cans to support their families. All we’re asking for is a living wage.” said Local 3299 President, Lakesha Harrison. Thousand's of UC workers picketed statewide on Thursday demanding a fair contract.

Daily Bruin story

Capital Public Radio story

Fox 40 Sacramento News video

[ visit site ]

2008-01-16
Bajos Salarios

"El salario de trabajadores de hospitales y custodios del sistema de Universidades de California (UC) es bajo comparado con los salarios en nosocomios privados y Colegios Comunitario."

Lea La Opinion noticias aqui

[ visit site ]

2008-01-15
UC Wage Report on KTVU News



[ more ]

2008-01-10
Yolo County Dems Support UC Davis Food Service Workers

On Monday Night, the Yolo County Central Committee voted unanimously to pass a resolution in support of Sodexho Workers of UC Davis.

Full story at Davis Vanguard Blogspot

[ visit site ]

2008-01-10
UC Struggles to Resolve Dual Union Negotiations

Students on Library Walk protest for increased AFSCME patient care technical employee wages at a Dec. 6 rally. Negotiations between the union and UC administrators have lasted five months.

Full UC San Diego Guardian story

[ visit site ]

2008-01-09
Patient Care Technicians, UC Negotiations at Impasse

Over 10,000 University of California patient care technicians are working without a contract, as negotiations between UC and American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 have come to an impasse.

Full California Aggie story

[ visit site ]

2007-12-17
Hospital Workers' Union Says Talks Have Reached Impasse

The union that represents patient-care technical workers at the University of California, unhappy with a lack of progress after five months of negotiations for a new contract, has asked the state to declare impasse and hire an independent mediator to jump-start the process.

Full East Bay Business Times story

[ visit site ]

2007-11-19
Bargaining for a Better Future

Plagued by tiring tasks and low pay, UCSD's laborers offer a glimpse of their difficult lives and efforts to obtain higher wages.

Full San Diego Guardian story

[ visit site ]

2007-09-28
Medical & Service Workers Picket Statewide

On September 27, 2007, thousands of UC workers picketed campuses across the state to send a clear message to University of California: We're 20,000 strong & we're taking back UC for patients, students, and our families!

Daily Bruin story

Daily Californian story

Register Pajaronian story

Slide Show

[ visit site ]

2007-09-20
Food workers push case before regents

UC Davis food workers urged UC regents Wednesday to support their effort to become university employees, then disrupted the meeting's start by chanting and marching out of the auditorium.

[ visit site ]

2007-09-12
Legislature Demands UC Workers Get Voice On Pensions

Conflicts of interest prompt legislation to give workers vote on pensions. Both houses of the California Legislature approved legislation calling for shared governance of the University of California employee’s pension plan.

[ visit site ]

2007-08-30
Sacramento News Review: Food Fight!

Valerie Matthews earns $11.12 per hour working up to 38 hours a week as a cook in the Tercero student dining commons, which serves 800 to 1,000 daily meals at UC Davis.

[ visit site ]

2007-08-01
Hill and Knowlton Letter

Download letter from outraged union and community leaders.

[ download document ]

2007-08-01
UC Students and Workers Set Principles for New UC President

A coalition of University of California Students and Unions representing University of California employees have issued a Statement of Principles today that establish five basic values that the next person selected as President of the University of California must adhere to in order to protect the long term health of the University System.

[ download document ]

2007-05-24
Mrak Hall Placed on Lockdown During Demonstration

Fifteen people, including eight UC Davis students, were arrested Wednesday in Mrak Hall during a UC Davis food-worker demonstration. This action is the latest in a series of planned protests against the contracting-out of food-service workers on the UC Davis campus.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-24
Sac Bee: UC Davis Labor Protest Targets Administration Building

100 students and workers blocked access to UC Davis' main administration building most of Wednesday, demanding that the university employ their workers directly.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-23
EB Express: Pension Woes Dog UC Regents

State Senator Leland Yee wants university leaders to give workers a say in managing their mishandled retirement fund.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-17
Union-Tribune: UC Workers Seek More Control Over Pension Plan

Concerns over the management of the University of California's multibillion-dollar investments prompted dozens of union members yesterday to urge UC's governing board of regents to give employees more control over their pension plan.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-17
AP: UC Regents Discuss Pensions

Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, has introduced legislation calling for employees as well as UC officials would have a say in pension plan decisions.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-09
KTVU Video Coverage of Berkeley Building Takeover

Amber Lee reports on the Impact of UC Janitors Fight on UC Graduation Ceremonies.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-09
Wired: The Coup's Boots Riley Withdraws from Berkeley Graduation

Political rapper Boots Riley of The Coup announced today that he is withdrawing his plans to deliver the keynote speech at UC Berkeley's Black Graduation this Saturday, in order to show support for the University of California Custodians Union’s longrunning fight for higher wages

[ visit site ]

2007-05-09
Sen. Yee's Resolution on UCRP Joint Governance

Text of SCR 52.

[ download document ]

2007-05-09
Sen. Burton's Proposal

Sen. John Burton's Proposed Settlement to resolve the Custodial Equity Fight.

[ more ]

2007-05-09
Custodians March for Wage Increase

Oakland Tribune: Actor Danny Glover has canceled his appearance today as graduation speaker in solidarity with UC Berkeley custodians who have been fighting for wage increases for more than a year.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-09
East Bay Express: Parsky's Party

The UC regent whose pension fund overhaul may have cost the university billions is now in a position to play with even more of the public’s money.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-04
SF Chronicle: Custodian Union Ready to Lift Boycott at Cal

The union demanding higher pay for UC Berkeley custodians says it's ready accept a compromise brokered by former state Sen. John Burton and lift a boycott threatening to disrupt commencement events on campus for the second year in a row.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-02
Cal Aggie: Twenty-four Arrested in Food Service Employment Protests

Twenty-four people, including 12 UC Davis students, five alumni and one lecturer, were arrested in Tuesday's demonstration as they protested the out-sourcing of food-service workers and janitorial staff on the UC Davis campus.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-01
SF Chronicle: Glover Threatens to Drop Out as Cal Keynoter

Actor Danny Glover says he'll boycott next weekend's UC Berkeley main commencement ceremony, where he's set to be the keynote speaker, unless the university system boosts the wages for custodians at some of its 10 campuses.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-01
Cal Aggie: I'm Working For Sodexho: A UC Davis Graduate Speaks

Today, the UC Davis food-service workers will participate in civil disobedience on campus to raise awareness about their desire to be directly employed by the university instead of being subcontracted out to Sodexho, the company that provides UC Davis' food services. The Aggie sat down with one of the food-service workers to discuss why she is participating in today's actions.

[ visit site ]

2007-05-01
Davis Enterprise: Faculty Letter Supports Davis Workers

A letter signed by 60 UC Davis faculty members was released Monday in support of food service workers who want to become university employees ...In the Letter, faculty urged the university “to live up to our Principles of Community and our tradition of social justice by ending the practice of contracting out to cut labor costs.”

[ visit site ]

2007-04-30
ASUCLA Student Workers hold Sit-In at Festival of Books

As police officers stood by, about 20 Associated Students UCLA student workers sat in a circle in the street on Westwood Boulevard on Saturday, blocking the increased traffic brought to UCLA by the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

[ visit site ]

2007-03-04
AP-Edwards: Berkeley Workers' Wage Push Part of Civil Rights Fight

"Democratic presidential contender John Edwards on Sunday called a janitors' campaign for better wages at the University of California, Berkeley, a continuation of the civil rights struggle that began in the 1960s."

[ visit site ]

2007-02-08
Senator Yee and 3299 Sponsor SB 190: UC Sunshine Legislation

Senator Leland Yee and AFSCME 3299 announced yesterday the reintroduction of legislation which would force UC to conduct all of their business in the light of day, including employee pension and compensation issues.

[ visit site ]

2006-04-06
Support the Rights of Immigrant Workers

Join hundreds of thousands of us in telling Congress that we need real, comprehensive immigration reform – not anti-immigrant scapegoating. Tell Congress that you want immigration reform that:

  • Includes a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
  • Reunites families
  • Ensures workplace protections and civil rights for all!
[ more ]


FACING POVERTY AT UC:

Join the Virtual Tour!

Don't believe there is poverty at University of California? Visit the Facing Poverty at UC website to learn about the conditions faced by Service Workers and their families, trying to make ends meet. Join the virtual tour as we travel from campuses to medical centers state-wide to document UC created poverty.


ALSO SEE:
"Failing California's Communities" How the UC's Low Wages Affect Surrounding Cities & Neighborhoods

[ visit site ]


AP: Calif. University Workers Cast No-Confidence Vote

OAKLAND, Calif. — Union employees at the University of California gave overwhelming approval to a vote of no confidence for President Mark Yudof and called for his removal from office.

[ visit site ]


STUDENTS RISE UP ALL OVER CALIFORNIA

[ more ]

Note To Reporters

Local 3299 is committed to providing fast, accurate information to reporters. Our staff include several former reporters who are available to help you meet deadlines and provide extensive background. But we also believe that the best spokespeople are union members themselves. In most cases, we'll strive to connect you directly with workers who can speak in the own voice and express their own views.

AFSCME Local 3299 staff contacts:

Lakesha Harrison, President, (310) 877-6878

Ali Cooper, Political and Legislative Affairs Director, (916) 281-7170   send email»

 
     

{ Oakland Web Design: Studio 678 }