Labor unions demand probe into consulting contract details
By Daily Bruin Staff
Aug. 27, 2000 9:00 p.m.
By Michael Falcone
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
More than three months after the San Francisco Examiner first
reported on political wrongdoing by UC Regent Gerald Parsky, a
coalition of university labor unions is demanding an
investigation.
A statement released Aug. 25 by the California Nurses
Association and other unions representing UC employees around the
state called for an independent probe to look into a possible
connection between a UC contract awarded and donations to
Republican presidential campaign coffers.
“We don’t feel like we can trust the regents on
their own,” said Claudia Horning, the statewide vice
president for the Coalition of University Employees.
The unions have filed a complaint with the Fair Political
Practices Commission. As per policy, the FPPC would not comment on
any investigation possibly pending.
“If the FPPC were to contact the university we would
obviously respond,” Davis said.
Union leaders and a UC labor representative met Aug. 17 to
discuss the matter at which time union representatives say the
university was planning an investigation.
The unions waited to file their complaint to give the university
time to act by itself.
But, since that time no investigation has occurred and none are
planned, said UC spokesman Trey Davis.
“The university has reviewed this matter and is satisfied
that appropriate and proper university practices and procedures
have been observed throughout the process,” Davis said.
Parsky, who is presidential candidate Governor George W.
Bush’s California campaign chairman, has been criticized for
pushing the approval of Wilshire Associates, a Los Angeles-based
consulting firm, to oversee the UC’s $59 billion pension
fund.
A week before the recommendation to select the consulting firm,
Dennis Tito, the president of the Wilshire Associates, allegedly
made an $80,000 donation to the Bush campaign.
All parties involved have denied wrongdoing.
With reports from Timothy Kudo, Daily Bruin Senior Staff.
