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 ]

This election cycle was no different from past campaigns, in that the national races overshadowed local and state ballot initiatives. On Nov. 2 voters in Santa Cruz, CA handed a crushing defeat to the controversial Measure J. This county-wide initiative would have created a half-cent sales tax to finance transportation projects, primarily a 30 year plan to widen the Santa Cruz portion of California Highway 1. Issues of growth and traffic congestion would only compound if the highway were widened, oppponents said, and more than 60 % of voters agreed. Sprouts contributor Vinny Lombardo brings us this post-mortem look at Measure J.

[ Sprouts - radio from the grassroots I SCCRTC (Yes on J) I No on Measure J I Campaign for Sustainable Transportation (No on J) ]

On Wednesday November 10th, the Members of Local 3299 AFSCME will be having a major rally when UC representatives come to the campus for state-wide bargaining. The rally will take place at 12:00 noon in front of the Baytree Bookstore on the UCSC campus.

Over 7,000 UC Service Workers and Local 3299 AFSCME Members serve food; clean bathrooms, dorms, labs, offices, and hospitals; drive shuttle buses, and park cars at the nine UC campuses and five medical centers. Their contract with UC expired June 30, 2004, and UC has so far rejected all proposals to improve it. Workers are demanding more support for the quality services that we provide, a fair pay system with steps that respect our years of experience, and a real chance to advance.

The median wage for UC Service Workers is $12.05 per hour, and 22% earn less than $10 per hour. Here at UCSC, 93% of the 550 Service Workers earn less than the living wage for Santa Cruz County of $16.88 as determined by the California Budget Project. And like many UC workers, they are laid off during holiday and summer breaks.

Flyer

coverage from 5/20/04: UC Workers Hold Statewide Marches

Starting Tuesday June 29, a series of marches and rallies against INS intimidation and for legalization and union rights-- launched by the United Farm Workers Union and joined by the whole labor movement-- will sweep through immigrant communities of the Salinas, Pajaro, San Benito and south Santa Clara valleys.

The campaign promises to be bigger and broader than anything since the historic strike movements of the 1970s. If successful, this may be a turning point in the long struggle for union rights for 50,000 unorganized immigrant workers in the fields and packing sheds of the Central Coast.

The campaign begins with a five-day march that begins Tuesday, June 29, at 8 AM at the King City Park. On Tuesday evening marchers will rally at Patriot Park in Greenfield after marching through the town. Marches and rallies will follow each day, moving north to Soledad, Gonzalez, Chualar and arriving in Salinas on Saturday. A similar campaign will move through towns to the north of Salinas during the following week, arriving again in Salinas on Sunday July 11.

Audio: Yadira Speaks About the June 29 - July 3 Pilgrimage Supporting Immigrants and Farm Workers

[ United Farm Workers I Monterey Bay Central Labor Council I Take Action for AgJobs S.1645 ]

You can enjoy locally-grown organic produce for $7.50 per person per week, from the Homeless Garden Project / Women's Organic Flower Enterprise.

This article is not so much an advertisement as an exploration of alternatives. For some time, I had been planning to write a story about unaffordable food prices and unhealthy gimmick foods at New Leaf and The Food Bin, the two "progressive" markets in the Downtown Santa Cruz area. Instead, I am going to suggest an alternative: the Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program of the Homeless Garden Project / Women's Organic Flower Enterprise.

Basically, you sign-up to receive a portion of the harvest from the Homeless Garden farm. Every Friday afternoon, you pick up your produce at the WOFE store (foot of Washington Street, near the Municipal Wharf; Metro's Route 19 bus, and the free summertime Beach Shuttle, both stop there).

I had wanted to try this for several years, but the pick-up point used to be at Natural Bridges -- not a good location for folks like me, who don't drive. This year, the pick-up point is very convenient!

A report from the picket lines!

UCSC student has a one-on-one talk with Mayor Rotkin regarding the Metro Strike, and discovers a disturbing lack of communication in negotiations between Union and Board members.

After failing with another set of PSAs, der governator jumps back on screen to work his magic for the special election initiatives

By failing to distinguish between assets that can be *produced* and assets that can only be *acquired*, modern economics laid the ideological foundation for unemployment, poverty, inequality, and the looming global depression.