November, 16 2010, 01:57pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Claudia Magaña, President UC Students Association and UCSC student, (626) 392-5919
Julian Posadas, Food Service Worker with AFSCME 3299, (805)886-3200
Bob Samuels, President of AFT and Lecturer at UCLA, (805) 680-2719
Alejandro Lara-Brisceno, recent graduate (805)570-4187
Filiberto Nolasco, UAW Executive Board Member and UCSB student, (323) 313-2159
Weds 7:30am: Massive Protests Against UC Regents Plans for Fee Hikes, Cuts to Workers
Coalition says Regents cannot justify taking more from students and staff after UC received increased funding from the state
WASHINGTON
Hundreds of UC students and workers statewide will join together during
the November 16-18th Regents meeting to protest proposals that will
unnecessarily harm the public mission of the University of California.
On the table are proposals for a differential fee hike where students
whose families make over $120,000 will be facing an 8% fee increase. The
Regents will also be imposing increased pay cuts for the pension decreases in retirement
benefits that will effectively cut retiree income in half for many
employees. Protesters oppose these draconian cuts and the divisive fee
increases, when the university is seeing more revenue due to increased state funding, tuition, federal dollars and
other sources. They are demanding no fee hikes for ALL students and no
more cuts to staff, many of whom earn below a living wage.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 17th
7:30 am - Press Conference in front of Community Center (Owens Street side)
11:00 am - March around UCSF at
12:00 pm - End Statement in front of Community Center (Owens Street side)
VISUALS:400+ students and workers, picket signs, banners,
WHERE: UCSF Mission Bay Community Center (Owens Street side)
University
of California Students Association (UCSA)
American
Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME-Local 3299)
Coalition of University Employees (CUE-Teamsters
Local 2010)
American
Federation of Teachers-UC Council (UC-AFT)
California Nurses Association (CNA)
United
Auto Workers (UAW-Local 2865
University
Professional & Technical Employees (UPTE-CWA Local 9119)
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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)—a co-sponsor of Sanders' Medicare for All Act—similarly toldHuffPost in a Tuesday interview, "The visceral response from people across this country who feel cheated, ripped off, and threatened by the vile practices of their insurance companies should be a warning to everyone in the healthcare system."
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