Banana Slugs tell Administration to Hurry Up
By Erica Ayón, of UC, Santa Cruz Student Labor Action Project
On the morning of November 9th, the University of California, Santa Cruz SLAP students lined the hallway where the University of California administration would soon walk past to begin the 17th session of contract negotiations with AFCSME campus workers. Students waited for over half an hour for the University of California administration so they could deliver their message: “We stand with workers.”
Instead, the administration refused to come out of their caucus space to begin the bargaining session. Hiding in an office, it was clear that our message was one that scared them. SLAP then joined AFCSME workers and together created a list of demands to present to administration. After sitting at a table waiting for a chance to be heard by administration, we decided we couldn’t wait any longer. List of demands in hand, SLAP then forced our way into the administrations office.
Attempts at forcing students out of the room failed and echoes of a mic check began: “We are students in support of AFSCME, we want a fair contract for campus workers!” Students demanded that the University of California not cut worker benefits and stop short-staffing. UC admin had no response to the demands and proceeded to stall an hour before finally beginning contract negotiations.
The look of pure alarm on the faces of the administration reflected how uncomfortable they were with students in the room demanding a fair contract for workers, while students were ecstatic to get the chance to show solidarity with campus workers. The driving force behind the students actions was the knowledge that the decisions to be made in these contract bargaining sessions not only impact campus workers, they impact students. In the past year, the University of California has cut over 40 custodial and bus driver jobs, and has replaced many full time dining staff with student workers-doubling the work load for current workers and lessening the quality of services provided. The trend is mirrored in available student jobs as well, with 14% less jobs offered to students this year at UCSC. Despite the declining quality of services offered and the rising costs students are paying for them, University of California has continued to scale back jobs and respect.
One of the questions we kept asking us was: “Why do we have to fight for this? Why do we have to fight for justice on the job?” Our campus bus drivers, custodians, and food service workers run our universities and without them we would be lost. The University of California needs to take care of campus workers the way they take care of us every day.
These administrators who avoid interactions with students make decisions that affect campus workers and students need to be pressured and held accountable. Their actions have serious consequences for everyone on our campuses. We sent a clear message that we won’t stand to see workers and students treated like this any longer.
