A week after their rally at UCLA, University of California
service workers took their concerns to UC Berkeley on Friday, where
16 people were cited while rallying for higher wages and better
opportunities for over 7,000 service workers.
The 16 individuals arrested were demonstrating in a major
intersection in Berkeley, and were cited by the police for blocking
traffic, said Faith Raider, a spokeswoman for the American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union
representing UC service workers.
“At one point, they laid down in a circle,” Raider
said.
Lakesha Harrison, the president of AFSCME Local 3299, the
chapter of the union representing UC employees, was among those
cited.
Many union members previously announced they were going to risk
arrest at this rally in order to have their voices heard by the UC
community.
About 400 students, workers and union organizers marched through
the Berkeley campus and poured out into the surrounding streets,
Raider said.
“It was very vivid … like a beautiful fall
afternoon,” Raider added, referring to the group mostly
wearing green union shirts.
Union members said the rally was scheduled during
Berkeley’s Homecoming weekend since the union knew that
several parents, students and alumni were going to be present.
“It was very well seen by the campus and I’m sure
that the UC felt the pressure,” said Nicole Moore, an
organizer with AFSCME Local 3299.
The service employees’ contract with the UC expired June
30, 2004. Since then, the union has been in negotiations with the
university.
UC spokesman Paul Schwartz has said previously that the
university is doing its best to reach an agreement, considering the
state’s current budget situation.
Schwartz had explained the negotiation process as a series of
compromises and said the talks have been fruitful so far.
Union leaders are asking for the new contract to include
provisions for higher wages, job training and more opportunities to
advance.
The UC does not currently have a policy in place requiring
campuses to look within the existing employee pool when higher
positions become available.
Negotiations between the UC and union will be held on the UC
Davis campus next week, and Raider said more rallies are expected
there.