Hoffa, Teamster Women Rally in Support of Univ. of Calif. Workers

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 23, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall and Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer Jason Rabinowitz led hundreds of Teamster women on a march through Hollywood today in support of University of California (UC) Teamsters seeking a fair contract.

Teamsters attending the union's annual women's conference joined the rally in downtown Hollywood, calling on the University of California (UC) system to deliver a fair contract for members of Teamsters Local 2010.  

Teamsters Local 2010 represents 14,000 critical support staff who work at University of California campuses statewide. More than 80 percent of the Teamsters are women, and about 63 percent are people of color. The union is currently in contract negotiations with the University of California, the state's third largest employer.

The UC system has for decades been driving down frontline workers' pay, while giving raises to its senior executives. Over the past two decades, administrative, support and clerical workers have seen the UC system hold down their real wages by nearly 24 percent. The UC system is also attacking workers' retirement security.

"On behalf of the 1.4 million members of the Teamsters Union, I am proud to stand here in solidarity with all UC Teamsters. We are here to send a clear message that the Teamsters will not back down until the University of California delivers on a fair contract," Hoffa said.  

"The Teamsters Union will stand for nothing less than a contract that honors the work of UC Teamsters," Hall said. "This is a major public university system. There is no reason why workers should see their pay, benefits and future under attack."

"Today, Teamster women delivered a clear message to the University of California: it's time to stop discriminatory pay practices. It's time to bargain in good faith with the union. It's time to pay women—and all workers who make UC work—enough to live!" said Jason Rabinowitz, Teamsters Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer.

Local 2010 President Catherine Cobb said the university has failed in its mission to serve the public.

"As executive pay skyrockets, the UC support staff, who are mainly women, have been left behind," Cobb said. "Teamster women: stand united and tell UC to pay women enough to live!"

"We are not alone. There are 14,000 UC Teamsters and hundreds of thousands of union sisters and brothers standing with us. It's overwhelming to see such support," said Lou Ilagan, a University of California at Irvine CME coordinator and member of Local 2010.

"The University of California should not be creating a culture where women cannot make ends meet. It is ironic that I work with a major university whose mission is to serve the public, yet it fails to serve those who make the university great," said Ruth Lopez, a financial counselor with UCSD Health Systems and Local 2010 member.

Also speaking at the rally in support of the Local 2010 workers were Rusty Hicks, L.A. County Federation of Labor, Exec. Secretary-Treasurer, and Kamala Lopez, actress, activist and director of the documentary "Equal Means Equal."

Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters.

Contact:       
Christian Castro, (213) 247-9500
[email protected]

Kara Deniz, (202) 624-6911
[email protected]

SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters

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