On Wednesday, November 10, hundreds of people demonstrated and bargined at UC Santa Cruz for better wages and working conditions for AFSCME members at the nine University of California (UC) campuses and five medical centers. Local 3299 AFSCME members (American, Federal, State, County and Municipal Employees) are employed by the UC to serve food; clean bathrooms, dorms, labs, offices, and hospitals; drive shuttle buses, and park cars.

In addition to a large rally in the Baytree Plaza, AFSCME workers, UC students and community members entered the bargining meeting that took place in Conference Room D above the Baytree Bookstore.

The rally and bargining meeting effectively demonstrated that AFSCME workers, UC students and members of the Santa Cruz community, including Mardi Wormhoudt, the Chair of the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, and newly elected Santa Cruz City Council member Tony Madrigal, are committed to improving the working conditions for service workers in the UC system.

Photos: [ Workers, Students and Community Members Rally in Baytree Plaza I Estudiantes y Trabajadores Undios a UCSC ]

Audio: UC Bargining Committee Hears from Workers and Supporters

Previous IMC Coverage: [ (5/20/04) UC Workers Hold Statewide Marches I (10/17/04) UC Service Workers Converge on Berkeley Campus ]