Voices of nearly 200 workers, students and union organizers
echoed as they entered the corridors of Kerckhoff Hall and walked
up and crossed over to the second floor of Ackerman Union.
They were chanting “No justice! … No peace!” as
they arrived behind the closed doors of a room where negotiations
for a potentially better contract with the university were taking
place.
The workers, wearing green shirts representing their union,
walked in the room and lined up along its perimeter, ready to share
their personal stories with those sitting at the negotiation
table.
The workers are asking for a number of things, among which are
higher wages, job training and also a “chance to
advance.”
Nicole Moore, an organizer with the American Federation of
State, Country and Municipal Employees, the union representing
University of California service workers, said the group is hoping
there will be programs developed to give people the training
necessary to move up within the system.
Moore believes training already-existing employees as opposed to
bringing in outsiders would benefit both the workers and
employees.
The current negotiations started on Wednesday and are scheduled
to end today.
“(Wednesday), they threw our proposal right back at
us,” said Lakesha Harrison, the president of AFSCME local
3299.
UC spokesman Paul Schwartz said the university will try to give
the best wage proposal possible, considering the state’s
budget situation.
“State budget cuts of past few years have hampered our
ability to give our employees the kind of raises and salaries we
would like to,” Schwartz said.
AFSCME also represents UC’s patient care workers, who
recently settled on their new contracts.
Though the contracts included a raise in wages, Harrison wishes
they could have put a step system into effect ““ a system for
increasing wages on a yearly basis depending on the cost of living
in the area.
“That would help us avoid fights every year,”
Harrison said, “Most of us are always happy to get a raise.
… But in general, the UC can always try and do better.”
Schwartz described the negotiations as a “give-and-take
process,” and said the university hopes to reach a conclusion
as soon as possible, though that depends on how quickly the two
sides can compromise.
Among those present at the rally was Sen. Richard Alarcón,
D-San Fernando Valley.
“This is a defining moment for UCLA,” Alarcón
said.
He added that it is important wages are increased, so the
children of these workers could one day attend a university like
UCLA.
“UCLA is not just for the elite. … It’s a public
institution,” Alarcón said.
Individuals from other UCs were also present at the rally since
the end result will affect all the service employees equally.
Patricia Medina, a custodian from UC Riverside, was among them
and her spirits were high.
“We’re gonna fight hard. This is just a hurdle. We
deserve higher raises,” she said, adding that she makes
$19,000 a year. “We are not at a competitive wage at all,
that’s why we’re out here. Benefits don’t put
food on the table. We want higher wages. … That’s why
we’re here to fight for our rights.”
As the officials negotiated behind closed doors, many remained
outside the room, hoping for good news.
“They know how deeply we feel about it, because of the
number of us out here,” said Hays Witt, a lead organizer for
AFSCME.
There was also a candlelight vigil held in front of Bunche Hall
on Wednesday night, asking the chancellor to support the workers
and join them in their efforts.
The negotiations will continue tomorrow, but Witt does not
foresee a conclusion being reached.
“Unless the university decides to do the right thing
tonight, we are in for a long fight,” Witt said.