Letters to the editor

Service workers’ situation not a joke

I have worked as a service employee for over 18 years at UCLA,
and I just had to reply to Kenneth Hurst’s submission
(“UC workers’ demands lack logic, rationality,”
April 8). There is nothing laughable about the upcoming strike.

In all the years that I have worked as a custodian, I have never
experienced a potential strike. We have in the past received at
least a cost-of-living increase, if nothing else. But we have been
working for almost 10 months without a contract!

The management of the University of California doesn’t
seem to realize or care about the fact that we have been earning
the same salary for nearly four years ““ and not only do we
need more money, we deserve more money. The cost of housing alone
is unreal in Southern California, and the cost of gasoline is not
to be believed. Service workers should be able to earn a living
wage.

As a service worker, I have had to tolerate disrespect. If not
for the service workers of UCLA, the UC would never have passed
accreditation. We keep the hospital, classrooms and dormrooms
together.

No, Hurst, we are not given the chance to advance; we
aren’t able to pay the tuition to go to school because we
earn so little. We are looked down upon because we do the dirtiest
work, but it’s also work that must be done. And we get little
to no thanks for a job well done.

Delores F. Lewis Senior custodian, environmental
services

Editorial cartoons humorless, thoughtless

Normally I would not be so bold as to argue a matter of taste
such as this, but the editorial cartoons of Alex Hoffman are not
funny. Nor are they insightful or enlightening.

A political cartoon, while an expression of an individual
opinion, should still exhibit at least some originality or
independent thought. For example, Monday’s cartoon (April 11)
depicted a donkey, presumably representative of the Democratic
Party, as being the only animal affected by drilling in the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge. This seems to be no more than a
misrepresentation of the issue, painting it as strictly a political
attack on the Democratic Party.

What exactly is funny about this? Is it the amazing revelation
that democrats are against drilling in the Arctic? I’m so
glad for that insightful political comment.

It reflects poorly on the Daily Bruin that mere partisan
rhetoric passes for editorial opinion, and I hope that something
will be done to improve the situation.

Nate Verbiscar-Brown Second-year,
undeclared