CUE-Teamsters Tell UC-Berkeley Chancellor to Help Workers Win a Fair Contract

Community Leaders' Breakfast Event Leafleted

BERKELEY, Calif., Oct. 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, CUE-Teamsters Local 2010 members that are employed by the University of California at Berkeley (USB) called on Chancellor Robert Birgeneau at the Chancellor's Community Leaders Breakfast to help the 14,000 employees throughout the University of California system win a fair union contact.

The CUE-Teamsters have been without a contract since 2008 as the university has continued to stall and delay negotiations for a new contract with the bargaining unit. The workers at UCB have not had a pay increase since 2007, even as other bargaining units have received wage increases.

"Even though I have worked at UC Berkeley for over ten years, in August my hours were cut in half and I have not had a raise in more than two years," said Denise Mason, a CUE-Teamsters Local 2010 member. "As a result my family and I are now under a lot of stress."

The CUE-Teamster members that are employees of the university work as clerical and administrative assistants at each of the 10 university campuses. The entire unit, which voted to affiliate with the Teamsters Union this past May, has been trying to negotiate a contract for the past two years.

"Our members at UCB want their voice to be heard," said Rome Aloise, Teamsters International Vice President and principal officer of Teamsters Joint Council 7. "By raising their concerns over their contract at the community leaders' breakfast, they have given Chancellor Birgeneau the opportunity to do the right thing to make sure that UC starts treating these members of the Berkeley community with respect. It is our hope he will take immediate action to resolve this issue."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.

SOURCE CUE-Teamsters Local 2010