Student leaders oppose Senate Bill 376 amid funding controversy

The state senate approved Senate Bill 376, which would require the University of California to pay contracted workers the same wages and benefits as existing university employees who do similar work, and is awaiting the signature of Gov. Jerry Brown to become law.

The bill proposed by Senator Ricardo Lara in April 2015 would require companies that perform contract services for the UC adhere to certain minimum requirements.

The bill would also raise total compensation for contracted employees to match that of UC employees who perform comparable work at the relevant campus, medical center or laboratory.

In a letter by UC President Janet Napolitano urging Gov. Brown to veto the bill, the University predicted the cost of SB 376 to be between $48 and $60 million, which was not accounted for in the framework agreement of the budget. Administrators added they think this will affect the ability of the University to enroll more California students next year, something the State and UC have cited as a priority.

Zach Helder, external vice president of the undergraduate student government, said he thinks students agree with the principle of the bill but have not considered the source of the funding.

“We fought very hard to ensure certain provisions of the budget that include frozen tuition for the next two years and an enrollment mandate,” Helder said. “These will be compromised by the $60 million price tag.”

Denea Joseph, an undergraduate student representative on the Associated Students UCLA Board of Directors, said she thinks it is important for students to support SB 376 to ensure long-term contract workers and UC employees who do the same work get equal benefits and salaries.

“It’s especially problematic considering how much (money) UC officials make themselves,” Joseph added.

Joseph said she thinks the UC Office of the President should fund the bill by minimizing upper-level administrative costs rather than taking from student tuition.

“Last year, when we were facing a 27.5 percent tuition hike, these workers rallied beside us and helped us,” Joseph said. “It’s our responsibility to give back now.”

Joseph added she plans to rally students to support the bill and represent the voice of UCLA staff and contractors.

Kevin Sabo, president of University of California Student Association, said he thinks students are uncomfortable with the bill because officials have not agreed on the estimated cost of the bill.

Todd Stenhouse, spokesperson of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 3299 union, said the union projects the bill will cost the UC about $9 million.

Sabo added he thinks the bill unfairly pits students against UC workers by implying the unfunded mandate would rely on students to pay through increased fees.

“If increased compensation for the lowest-paid workers on UC campuses were a priority, administrators could make it happen without using revenue from student fees,” Sabo added.

Stenhouse said he thinks the University should not hold student fees hostage to garner opposition to the bill.

“I meet workers every day who have worked for the UC longer than Napolitano and anyone on the board of administrators have,” Stenhouse said. “But they don’t get paid enough and have to rely on Medi-Cal and food stamps.”

In the letter to Gov. Brown, Napolitano also said she thinks the bill unfairly targets the UC system because neither the California Community College system nor the California State University system have been held to the same standards.

Earlier this summer, Napolitano announced a plan to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour over the course of three years. On Oct. 1, the minimum wage for university employees will be $13 an hour.

SB 376 passed in the state senate on Sept. 11, but still needs Gov. Brown’s approval before it becomes law. Brown can approve or veto the bill.