Strike Authorized by UC Workers

Yesterday, by an overwhelming majority, UC patient care and service staff voted to strike. The vote which took place between May 17, 2008 and May 22, 2008 showed upwards of 97% vote to authorize a strike. The workers gave UC Executives notice that a strike could begin as soon as June 4th for the 20,000 workers at the University’s five hospital/ten campus system. However, the workers, who have been negotiating in good faith since August, still hold hope that a strike can be averted.

Lakesha Harrison, Licensed Vocational Nurse & President of AFSCME 3299 said:

“No one wants to strike, but UC Executives need to make a shift and prioritize providing enough to protect quality patient care and support our families. No one wants to get rich, we just want equal pay for equal work. UC is losing quality staff that we train to those other institutions that pay 25% higher, and many of us are living in poverty.”

CA State-appointed neutral Factfinder Carol Vendrillo, who independently evaluated the viability of a service workers’ labor agreement, said:

“U.C. has demonstrated the ability to increase compensation when it fits with certain priorities without any demonstrable link to a state funding source. It is time for UC to take a broader view of its priorities by honoring the important contribution that service workers make to the U.C. community and compensating them with wages that are in line with the competitive market rate.”

According to a release issued on Friday, the central issue is wages. Wages have fallen behind other hospitals including California’s community colleges, where workers are paid around 25% on average than UC employees for the same work.

“At UC, patient workers are concerned that lack of competitive pay is contributing to high-turnover, staffing shortages, and over-reliance on temps, compromising patient care as extra time is needed to train the constant flow of new staff. For service workers, wages are as low as $10 an hour, forcing many to work 2-3 jobs or rely on public assistance to meet their families basic needs.”

Some have questioned a strike during a time of budget crisis and UC-wide cutbacks. However, those arguments miss a key point on the revenue sources. State funds comprise less than 10 percent of the funding for the 20,000 patient care and service workers. The majority of the funding is immune to economic downturn and budget crisis. It comes from the UC hospitals. The UC hospitals posted profits of over $350 million last year.

—Doug Paul Davis reporting

Author

  • David Greenwald

    Greenwald is the founder, editor, and executive director of the Davis Vanguard. He founded the Vanguard in 2006. David Greenwald moved to Davis in 1996 to attend Graduate School at UC Davis in Political Science. He lives in South Davis with his wife Cecilia Escamilla Greenwald and three children.

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Labor Issues

28 comments

  1. Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

  2. Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

  3. Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

  4. Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

  5. “Anonymous said…
    Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

    5/24/08 9:45 PM”

    Please elucidate! We would like to know what you are referring to. As always, more often than not there is more than one side to an issue.

    One thing I do find troubling is the $11,000 per month housing allowance the UC system will be paying to the new UC President, bc the prima donna does not want to live in the housing provided. So when the UC system goes to the Governator whining about the terrible effects the budget cuts will have, how much credibility does UC have? Not much, I would say!

  6. “Anonymous said…
    Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

    5/24/08 9:45 PM”

    Please elucidate! We would like to know what you are referring to. As always, more often than not there is more than one side to an issue.

    One thing I do find troubling is the $11,000 per month housing allowance the UC system will be paying to the new UC President, bc the prima donna does not want to live in the housing provided. So when the UC system goes to the Governator whining about the terrible effects the budget cuts will have, how much credibility does UC have? Not much, I would say!

  7. “Anonymous said…
    Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

    5/24/08 9:45 PM”

    Please elucidate! We would like to know what you are referring to. As always, more often than not there is more than one side to an issue.

    One thing I do find troubling is the $11,000 per month housing allowance the UC system will be paying to the new UC President, bc the prima donna does not want to live in the housing provided. So when the UC system goes to the Governator whining about the terrible effects the budget cuts will have, how much credibility does UC have? Not much, I would say!

  8. “Anonymous said…
    Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.

    5/24/08 9:45 PM”

    Please elucidate! We would like to know what you are referring to. As always, more often than not there is more than one side to an issue.

    One thing I do find troubling is the $11,000 per month housing allowance the UC system will be paying to the new UC President, bc the prima donna does not want to live in the housing provided. So when the UC system goes to the Governator whining about the terrible effects the budget cuts will have, how much credibility does UC have? Not much, I would say!

  9. TO: Tell us more More,
    Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time. I am not disagreeing with you. I am only pointing out that some of the issues pursued on dpd’s blog are most often one sided.

  10. TO: Tell us more More,
    Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time. I am not disagreeing with you. I am only pointing out that some of the issues pursued on dpd’s blog are most often one sided.

  11. TO: Tell us more More,
    Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time. I am not disagreeing with you. I am only pointing out that some of the issues pursued on dpd’s blog are most often one sided.

  12. TO: Tell us more More,
    Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time. I am not disagreeing with you. I am only pointing out that some of the issues pursued on dpd’s blog are most often one sided.

  13. “Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time.”

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen. Would you believe I am a conservative? Nevertheless, I feel welcome on this website, which tolerates all views. You just have to be willing to take the heat if you are disagreed with.

    Please, I would very much appreciate it if you would explain what you meant. I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.

  14. “Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time.”

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen. Would you believe I am a conservative? Nevertheless, I feel welcome on this website, which tolerates all views. You just have to be willing to take the heat if you are disagreed with.

    Please, I would very much appreciate it if you would explain what you meant. I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.

  15. “Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time.”

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen. Would you believe I am a conservative? Nevertheless, I feel welcome on this website, which tolerates all views. You just have to be willing to take the heat if you are disagreed with.

    Please, I would very much appreciate it if you would explain what you meant. I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.

  16. “Elucidation on this blog would be a waste of my time.”

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen. Would you believe I am a conservative? Nevertheless, I feel welcome on this website, which tolerates all views. You just have to be willing to take the heat if you are disagreed with.

    Please, I would very much appreciate it if you would explain what you meant. I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.

  17. TO: Tell Us More

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.

  18. TO: Tell Us More

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.

  19. TO: Tell Us More

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.

  20. TO: Tell Us More

    Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.

  21. “Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.”

    ” I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.”

    My “I, for one” words make it pretty clear I am speaking only for myself. I just wanted anonymous 5:30 to explain what s/he meant by the comment:

    “Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.”

    Now why should my innocuous comment draw such a negative response? Please explain…

  22. “Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.”

    ” I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.”

    My “I, for one” words make it pretty clear I am speaking only for myself. I just wanted anonymous 5:30 to explain what s/he meant by the comment:

    “Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.”

    Now why should my innocuous comment draw such a negative response? Please explain…

  23. “Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.”

    ” I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.”

    My “I, for one” words make it pretty clear I am speaking only for myself. I just wanted anonymous 5:30 to explain what s/he meant by the comment:

    “Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.”

    Now why should my innocuous comment draw such a negative response? Please explain…

  24. “Many of us on this blog have open minds and are more than willing to listen.
    How many do you speak for? Please, speak only for yourself. Thank You.”

    ” I, for one, was not in favor of the Sodexho workers, believing the only outcome was to raise student fees and take away jobs from students.”

    My “I, for one” words make it pretty clear I am speaking only for myself. I just wanted anonymous 5:30 to explain what s/he meant by the comment:

    “Perhaps it would be good if Lakesha , the lvn , posted where people are paid 25% more so they can apply to any position available for that increased amount. There is more to this than is seen in this blog. How about covering the entire issue.”

    Now why should my innocuous comment draw such a negative response? Please explain…

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