A recent corruption ring was exposed within AFSCME local 3299, a branch of the largest UC labor union, which has led to calls for the resignation of newly elected president.

Even though the UC workers’ union, AFSCME, recently ratified their contract, winning salary raises and retirement benefits, it its pertinent now more than ever in the UC’s dark hours that we students support and stand with them.

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) ratified a new labor contract after negotiations with the UC earlier this week. AFSCME is the largest labor representative at UCSC, and is made up of patient care providers, dining hall employees and maintenance staff. The new contract secures pay increases and retirement benefits for employees.

Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union and UC Santa Cruz students held demonstrations outside each of the university’s 10 dining halls last week to protest cuts to dining hall staff hours, which workers say are leading to unhealthy eating conditions.

With skulls painted on their faces, approximately 60 faculty, staff and student demonstrators led a “funeral procession” to UC Santa Cruz Executive Vice Chancellor David Kliger’s modest Santa Cruz home on Monday, Nov. 2 to protest student fee hikes, employee salary reductions and furlough days.

Ninety-six percent of over 10,000 union employees, faculty and students at the University of California (UC) have voted that they have no confidence in the leadership of UC President Mark Yudof.

The ballot was distributed between Aug. 26 and Sept. 2 by the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the Coalition of University Employees (CUE), the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), for the purpose of raising awareness locally and throughout the state that UC workers are displeased with their management.

Exasperated, University of California employees took to the polls to express their frustration with UC President Mark Yudof.

The informal, democratic process began Thursday when concerned union employees gathered in a tent at the Bay Tree Plaza. Organizers asked interested and passing faculty members if they would like to cast a vote.

The ballot took voters only a couple of minutes and asked faculty if they had “Confidence” or “No Confidence” in Yudof’s performance so far. The polling took place on UC campuses statewide.