CLUE SB sent Eric Bailey to represent us at the AFSCME workers’ rally at UCSB on June 4th. CLUE has been supporting UC custodial and patient-care workers in their efforts to obtain wages on par with market rates for similar work, improve their system for raises and promotions, and create more timely channels for union involvement in negotiation when the UC system makes changes to healthcare and pension plans. After negotiations stalled over these issues, the union planned a two-day strike, but the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) blocked the strike, and the university came back to the table with new offers. Nevertheless, UC workers all over the state marched and rallied on June 4th, supported by students and other community members.
Here is the text of the message we shared with several hundred workers and their supporters gathered at UCSB that day:
We are an interfaith organization that supports your right to a fair wage, a good quality of life, an opportunity to advance through consistent performance rather than favoritism, and a voice in every stage of the decision-making processes that determine your compensation and benefits. We believe that, just as your work contributes to the life of this community, this community should do everything in its power to provide you with the highest possible quality of life. Just as you come here every day and do your best for us, we should be providing you with the best we can offer, not the least we can get away with. For all of us – those who work here, those who study here, and those who live in this community – this is our state, this is our university system. That means this is also our struggle.
And because we respect you and the work that you do, we want to see you treated with respect. We want you to get paid wages that respect the value of your labor on the market. We want your time respected by having your years on the job rewarded with advances in pay. We want your health respected, and the health and vitality of your families as well, by seeing to it that if you work for our university system, you don’t have to take two or three jobs to make ends meet. We want your voices to be respected, and we hope – we believe – that today our city, our university system, and our state are listening.
Last month, we sent a letter to Regent Judith Hopkinson requesting a chance to meet and share these concerns with her. We haven’t been granted a meeting yet. We hope that will change. Even if it doesn’t, know that we are here to support you in this struggle. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to stand with you and speak today.
Eric shared what it felt like to participate in this action for social justice:
I have never delivered a public speech. In fact, since being in a theater production in high school, I’ve never had to talk to more than three or four people at a time. This afternoon I felt compelled to take the chance to represent CLUE, though I was nervous about speaking in front of so many people. Nevertheless, I felt drawn to participate at this gathering.
When crowds began to form, tables were laid out with food, and all interested in the cause were invited to take and eat. Energy and momentum swirled around the crowd as it coalesced by the Arbor, where a system had been set up for public addresses. The voices began over the loudspeaker and cheers soon followed. Signs in the air boasted an enthusiastic embrace of equality and justice for all workers. Then the MC turned to me and said: Now, here’s Eric and he has something to say.
I represented CLUE, reading our message of support for the workers, and though I didn’t write the words, the conviction with which I spoke them came from inside of me. Though I shook with nervous energy and was hard pressed to look up from my paper for fear of losing my place, I let the sound come out of me. I heard cheers and applause. I felt the strength and the drive of the people gathered around me. I told them that I believed in them and was proud to stand in support of their cause.
When I finished speaking, I had a good feeling that I had helped; that I had added something to the motion of the crowd, the spirit of the message. I felt compelled to stay. I was drawn into a sense of caring and desire to see justice done. I hope my best was enough to help push along the wave that swept across campus today.
