UC Wages (con't)

[ Excerpt from: "Failing California Communities and the UC System - UC Workers Continue To Push for Living Wage," By Bianca Licata, SB INDEPENDENT, February 19, 2008 ]

... a new report by the Center for Labor & Community Research addressing the unlivable wages of University of California service employees... entitled "Failing California Communities," contains a cohesive collection of data addressing how such low wages not only devastate families, but strain the local economy as well. Through economic impact analysis, the report found that increasing municipal worker wages would result in a "multiplier effect," benefiting the economy tremendously. It would give the state of California $147 million more spending on local goods and services, $23 million additional local business earnings, and $9 million in increased state and local tax revenue, in addition to nearly 900 new jobs throughout California...

[Santa Barbara City] Councilmember Das Williams [said]... "Santa Barbara has some of the most expensive housing in the state and the lowest working categories. The less you pay workers, the more traffic you will see on Santa Barbara roads." Williams also discussed the atrocious side effects of the low wages. "I have heard the struggles workers have at UCSB… Youth violence has a lot to do with the economic plight of their parents. Every regent and president of the UC has a responsibility to do due diligences. The good the UCs are doing is poisoned if it's done on the backs of its workers."

... Associate Vice Chancellor Paul Desruisseaux said that UCSB recognizes this issue, but unfortunately can’t do anything about it until the entire University of California proposes a plan to increase wages...

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To read the full article, please go to:
SB INDEPENDENT: Failing Communities & The UC