Historic Day for UC Service Workers

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.afscmeblog.org/2009/02/13/historic-day-for-uc-service-workers/?__utma=1.447959904738676160.1234661052.1234661052.1234661052.1&__utmb=1.1.10.1234661052&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1234661052.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(direct)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=107890434

February 13th, 2009

After a year and a half of bargaining, service workers at the University of California have voted overwhelmingly to approve a contract agreement which was tentatively reached on January 28.

The 8,500 workers, members of AFSCME Local 3299, include custodians, gardeners, food service workers and drivers. The contract includes significant wage increases, a pay system that rewards seniority, and a first-time ever statewide minimum wage for their job classifications.

Lakesha Harrison, President of Local 3299, says the agreement goes a long way toward ending poverty wages at UC:

“After a year and half of negotiations, this is truly a historic day. We have gone on strike, held informational pickets, lobbied, ran television commercials and many other things that were key to get UC executives to do the right thing and readjust their priorities from executives to the lowest paid workers at UC.”

Read Local 3299’s press release, and visit their website for more details on the agreement.