The UCSD Students For Economic Justice (SEJ) will hold a major demo continue
the immense pressure on the administration at UCSD.
UCSD STUDENTS, JANITORSı UNION VOW
TO ESCALATE ACTIONS UNTIL DEMANDS MET
LARGE CROWD EXPECTED FOR FRIDAY DEMONSTRATION
Echoing campaigns waged across American campuses this year, UCSD students
and workers plan to intensify their activities in demanding that the
University adopt Living Wage and Responsible Contractor policies at the La
Jolla campus.
On Friday, June 1st at 12:15pm, a march will begin at the UCSD Price
Centerthen move into the streets of La Jolla.
The action follows a month of tense dealings between students and University
officials, and janitors and UCSDıs subcontractor, Bergensons Property
Services:
Local 2028 of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which began
the organizing drive in late April at UCSD in response to janitorsı
complaints of harsh treatment and low compensation, has filed 5 separate
charges with the National Labor Relations Board for unlawful conduct by
Bergensons, such as threats of job loss, interrogation, and firing employees
for their Union activity.
The UCSD Students For Economic Justice (SEJ) and supporters among the
faculty and San Diegoıs religious community have appealed to University
officials to intervene now, and set policies for the future which would
guarantee Living Wage and benefit standards to the janitors, along with a
Responsible Contractor Policy to ensure that only companies who abide by the
law and respect workersı rights to organize would be eligible for the
schoolıs business.
After receiving no response for nearly a month, 20 SEJ members entered the
Chancellorıs Associates meeting, attended by the Chancellorıs major
financial donors and administrators last Tuesday, demanding to be heard. A
melee ensued, with students being assaulted and forcibly ejected by
University officials from the event as they began to speak.
These events precede the demonstration Friday, as does a hastily called
meeting by University officials to finally meet with the SEJ today,
Wednesday, May 30th. The students gave the officials until 10am Friday to
meet their demands to rehire a fired janitor, apologize for the assault on
Tuesday, and agree not to complete the bid process for a new janitorial
contract set to expire September 30 until talks can be held on living wages
and responsible contractors.
³This University has ignored evidence of lawbreaking toward workers on
campus, and ignored its students appeals for dialogue,² said SEJ organizer
Cathy Medrano. ³If they cannot act responsibly and believe that roughing us
up and, by their silence, enabling the mistreatment of workers will go
unchallenged, they will be the ones getting an education here directly,²
Medrano concluded.
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