“If I don’t stand up for myself, what am I teaching my children.” – Brenda Amacker, Senior Animal Tech (TX), UCSF “In these tough times, the regents are pleading poverty, but they didn’t hesitate to give out management raises before they ‘froze’ salaries. Here at SIO, new buildings are constantly in construction. They have the dough. If we show we are serious about standing up for ourselves, then we are the squeaky wheel they will grease.” – John Mortimer, Principal Mechanician (TX), Scripps Institute of Oceanography, UCSD “I’m striking because it is not just that UC executives get huge pay increases. It’s that the people that do the actual work and keep the university running are being offered nothing.” – Lynne Kessler, Staff Research Associate (RX), Neurology, UCLA “As a research professional, I expect UC to compensate us appropriately, and if we need to strike to make our point, then I am ready to do so.” – Brenda Thomas, Staff Research Associate (RX), Department of Medicine, UCSD “The whole thing about UC is that it is a union-busting, divide and conquer workplace. No salary increases and no safety measures in the labs. Our lives are at risk here. I am striking for my survival.” – Iris Williams, Staff Research Associate (RX), Hematology/ Oncology, UCLA “As a result of the last strike, we were able to get a contract that reflected the changing economic climate and kept our income from further erosion. There were no adverse repercussions or any form of retribution. On the contrary; many of our supervisors and department heads supported us whole-heartedly as they knew that they too were in fact also employees that needed to show the university that it needs to value its staff just as much as it honors the top-notch faculty and bright young students who all contribute to UCSD’s greatness.” – Dave Kesner, Recording Tech (TX), Arts Library, UCSD “UC doesn’t just give us better wages and benefits out of kindness, we have to organize together and insist that the staff who make this university run should be a priority when it comes to compensation. I’m ready to do that if necessary by withholding my labor along with my colleagues so that we can send a strong, clear message to UC management that we won’t take their stalling anymore. – Frank Pinto, Computer Resource Specialist (TX), UCD “If there is plenty of money for executive raises, there is enough money for our raises.” – Bette Larlee, Senior Animal Tech (TX), Lab Animal Resource Center, UCSF Why have we pledged to strike? UC’s bad faith bargaining is devastating to: F quality research and education F fair wages F safeguarding benefits F building our careers “UC risks losing good people if it refuses to pay attention to researchers and techs demands for fair raises and reasonable benefits.” – Rosie Hurford, Staff Research Associate (RX) & Nick Anderson, Lab Assistant (TX), Pathology, UCSD “I went on strike for one day in 2005 along with thousands of other UPTE members around the state. That action resulted in raises and an excellent contract settlement. I wish I didn’t have to go on strike again, but I will if that’s what it takes to get a good contract settled with the university.” – Margy Crowley, Lab Assistant (TX), Department of Botany & Plant Sciences, UCR “I have been a loyal worker here at UCLA for 19 years. I have a disabled wife and three children, with one about to enter college. Where is the university’s loyalty to me? I am striking because UC is taking food from from my table and stealing the futures of my children.” – Alex Betancourt, Senior Animal Tech (TX), Center for Health Science, UCLA “Many of our department’s faculty were supportive of our 2005 strike. I participated in that UPTE strike, and I’m still here.” – Esther Valdez, Staff Research Associate (RX), Biology, UCR “Sometimes you have to fight to get what you want. When our union is in bargaining, our team needs to feel the strength of the members behind them. AFSCME service workers struck for a week and I’m sure that had a lot to do with the settlement they reached.” – Zachary Watkins, Recording Tech (TX), Mchenry Library, UCSC “If we don’t stand up now, we’re going to have three years of nothing. Plenty of money will be coming to the state and to education in the stimulus bill being signed by President Obama, so UC can afford some decent raises for us. Salaries for construction inspectors at UCSC are so far behind market rate for this area that we’d had almost 100% turn-over in the past few years, except for me! Salaries at UCSC are also lower than at other campuses where the cost of living is considerably less. If we’ve got to strike for a decent contract, count me in.” – Tim Basquez, Sr. Construction Inspector (TX), Physical Planning & Construction, UCSC “It is unfortunate that we have to struggle simply to achieve fairness, but that is what we have to do.” – Jorge Mendoza, Lab Assistant (TX), Microbiology and Immunology, UCSF “I’m striking for fair pay. I have been at UCLA for seven years and can’t keep up with the high cost of living in Los Angeles.” – Min Zhao, Staff Research Associate (RX), Math Sciences, UCLA “UC is not nearly as affected by the economic crisis as state government, but would like us to think that it is. We need to act to get a fair contract. A strike will be completely legal with no risk of being fired. Any retaliation against us will be illegal.” – Mathew Call, Medical Interpreter (TX), UCD Medical Center “Nobody wants to strike, but if that’s the only way to get a decent contract, then we have to do it. I hope the negotiators for UC recognize that we’re ready to strike if we have to. I love my job here and I’d like to stay for the long run, but we need salaries that will keep us above the poverty line.” – Mariya Draskovic, Lab Assistant (TX), MCD Biology Department, Sinsheimer Labs, UCSC “Same old story from UC: ‘no money for you.’ My salary is paid from a grant, so the state budget issue is irrelevant, and UC shouldn’t keep my raise from me.” – Eric Focht, Staff Research Associate (RX), Department of Botany & Plant Sciences, UCR