MARCH FOR UC FAMILIES workers/s vigil UC Berkeley Administrator George Breslauer

MARCH FOR UC FAMILIES Groups target UC Berkeley Administrator George Breslauer 12.9.09

At Rockridge BART station Oakland, 5:30 p.m. December 9, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Liz Perlman (510) 316-4772, Lead Organizer AFSCME 3299

Hank Chapot (510) Gardener, UC Berkeley (510) 504-3538

LAID-OFF WORKERS and STUDENTS MARCH FOR UC FAMILIES - vigil at Chancellor's home

WHEN: Wednesday December 9, 5:30pm-7pm
WHERE: Rockridge BART Station, College Ave, Oakland
Groups target UC Berkeley Administrator George Breslauer demanding an end to
unnecessary lay-offs, privatization efforts, and police violence against students.


Laid-off custodians and students facing 32% increases in their UC tuition will march on UC Berkeley top administrator George Breslauer’s house on Wednesday, demanding accountability for the recent fee hikes, lay-offs and brutal force used by police against peaceful student protesters during the November UC Regents Meeting. Breslauer is a key decision-maker at UC Berkeley, signing off on lay-offs, privatization of campus shuttle drivers and violent police conduct at peaceful student actions to defend public education.

Student fee increases have priced many students, and many custodians’ kids out of the UC system, endangering the Master Plan for Higher Education’s promise of an affordable, accessible education for any Californian who qualifies. Recent reports have documented the use of student fee monies as collateral for servicing future debt on construction projects.

“It makes no sense to raise student fees to build new buildings and then cut maintenance staff so the old buildings get run-down.”

Arnold Meza, UC Berkeley Custodian, 19 years

Nearly 40 custodian and building maintenance workers have been laid-off in recent budget cuts, resulting in uncollected trash throughout Berkeley offices and classrooms. Breslauer and other campus administrators have refused to meet with custodians regarding the impacts of lay-offs on the health and safety of UC Berkeley campus.



George Breslauer is UC Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost - Academic Affairs and Faculty Welfare - Teaching, Learning, Academic Planning and Facilities