UC Labor Programs Hit by Terminator Cuts

* UC Labor Programs Hit by Terminator Cuts


UC Labor Studies Funding Update
To: laborcenter [at] berkeley.edu

Dear Friends,

We regret to report that the UC labor studies programs are facing severe budget reductions in the current fiscal year. On July 11, 2005, the governor vetoed all $3.8 million of funding for University of California labor research and education. Although the majority of the members of the California state legislature asked the University of California to provide full funding for UC labor studies, the University has informed us that it will provide only $1.25 million, on a one-time basis. This funding restores only one-third of the original budget for UCLA’s industrial relations and labor studies programs, two-thirds of the original budget for UC Berkeley’s industrial relations and labor studies programs, and no funds for the statewide faculty and graduate student research program.

The governor's decision takes aim at working people's access to the research and educational resources at California's premier public university. While the overall research budget for the university increased by $75 million this year, the governor singled out labor studies as the only program to be eliminated. This is grossly unfair, especially since $3.8 million is only a tiny fraction of the funding provided to UC programs that address corporate research and education interests.

The governor's decision is also a threat to academic freedom. Without any review, justification, or explanation, the governor has reached into the University of California’s budget to single out an academically-created program for elimination. This dangerous precedent allows a governor to defund any university programs that he does not support.

The cutbacks have already had a serious impact on the staff and programs of the UCLA and UC Berkeley labor programs. Nevertheless, we remain committed to maintaining high-quality research and educational programs throughout the current fiscal year, and we will continue to work with faculty, students, and the community at large to restore funds for the next fiscal year.

We thank all of our friends and supporters for standing with us in our struggle to maintain our funding, and we will keep you posted as our future funding situation unfolds.

In unity,
Ruth Milkman, Director, UCLA Institute of Industrial Relations
Katie Quan, Chair, UC Berkeley Labor Center
Michael Reich, Director, UC Berkeley Institute of Industrial Relations
Kent Wong, Director, UCLA Labor Center