After Julio Castellon, an assistant cook who worked at the Covel Commons dining hall for 15 years, was fired last month, some of his coworkers started the “Justice for Julio” campaign to help him get his job back.
Castellon was terminated after the university found an inaccuracy in his original job application when considering him for a promotion, said Nicole Moore, organizer of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union that represents UCLA food service workers.
“I got fired just from one mistake,” Castellon said through a translator. “There are other people like myself who have made just one mistake. Everyone deserves a second chance. It’s unjust to end 15 years of work because of a small mistake.”
Connie Foster, director of UCLA Dining Services, said the university cannot comment on Castellon’s termination, and Castellon could not disclose the specifics of the inaccuracy.
Dining hall employees began wearing “Justice for Julio” stickers shortly after Castellon’s departure, though they have since stopped wearing them, said Jose Lara, a food service worker in De Neve. Some of Castellon’s coworkers also wrote letters to Michael Foraker, assistant vice chancellor for housing and hospitality services.
“We’re pleading to him to bring Julio back as a gesture from his department,” Lara said. “All of Julio’s fellow coworkers are willing to do whatever is reasonably necessary to bring him back.”
Moore said there was a mistake in Castellon’s application from 15 years ago, and the discrepancy was discovered when he was about to be promoted from assistant cook to cook.
Lakesha Harrison, president of AFSCME Local 3299, said because the school did not discover the inaccuracy when Castellon filed his original application, he should not be penalized for it now.
“UCLA should have done its research. The school made a mistake 15 years ago,” she said.
Castellon is currently in the process of filing a grievance with the university, the typical procedure when an employee feels his or her contract has been violated, Harrison said.
He must wait for the university to respond by Friday, but if the school chooses not to hire him back, he plans to appeal and have a hearing, Daniel Carrillo, an organizer for AFSCME, said.
Castellon said he presently has a part-time job in plumbing. Still, he wishes to come back to UCLA because a great part of his career has been here working with students.
Employees have also felt the impact of the incident, Lara said.
“It’s very unjust on the university’s part,” he said. “As junior members of AFSCME, it feels as if we’ve been targeted. My coworkers and I have been distressed by this incident.”
Meanwhile, students who personally knew Castellon have been involved in the campaign as well. Alumnus Jake Strom participated in the campaign by organizing a group of 50 people and filing a petition with 100 signatures.
“In my time at UCLA, I became friends with a number of dining hall workers, and I feel that they are underappreciated,” Strom said. “Julio is a really nice guy ““ super personable.”