First Lady Obama & UC Merced

  • Author:
    n/a
  • Send To:
    First Lady Michelle Obama
  • Sponsored By:
    Coalition of University Employees (CUE)
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May 6, 2009

Dear First Lady Michelle Obama:

Congratulations on your first 100 days as the First Lady of the United States of America. You are a wonderful inspiration to women all over the world, young and old and all individuals dedicated to positive changes in the world.

I am writing to urge you to cancel your engagement to speak at the Merced Campus of the University of California on May 16, 2009. The university is engaged in labor negotiations with my union, the Coalition of University Employees (CUE). CUE is an independent, member run union that represents the 14,000 Clerical and Allied Services Employees of the University of California over the ten campuses, five medical centers and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

The employees in this bargaining unit are among the lowest paid in the University system and many are subjected to work in hostile working environments which are known to administrators. Since May 2008, we have been negotiating to obtain a successor contract with an employer known to be the worst public-sector employer in the state of California.

Despite over five billion dollars ($5,000,000,000) in unrestricted reserve accounts and over five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) of federal monies allocated by President Obamaвs stimulus package, the University aggressively seeks layoffs and threatens to furlough my co-workers and myself at a time when senior managers and executives continue to receive exceptional compensation packages.

Your refusal to Keynote the Graduation Ceremony at UC Merced will send a loud and clear message to the University administrators that it cannot continue to engage in unfair and appalling labor practices.

1072 Signatures

  • Amatullah Alaji-Sabrie
    • Comments
    • В
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Berkeley
  • Maria LaBarrie
    • Comments
    • Please, please - THANKS, THANKS
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCR
  • Dan Lewis
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Davis
  • Cynthia Norman
    • Comments
    • We are paid well below Market rate.
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Irvine
  • Diane Dickerson
    • Comments
    • Please support us
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA CAMPUS
  • Maria Juma
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Riverside
  • Tom Willams
    • Comments
    • We NEED a contract & a living wage
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC San Diego
  • Stephanie Dorton
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Berkeley
  • Anytra Henderson
    • Comments
    • В
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Lawerence Berkeley National Lab
  • Paula Lemire
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Riverside
  • Mary G. Higgins
    • Comments
    • You are doing a fantastic job!
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • San Francisco
  • Wanda Castillo
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • University of California, Berkeley School of Law (Boalt Hall)
  • Tanya Lockett`
  • Kyndra Mitchell
  • Aaron Morrison
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Davis
  • ALESSANDRA DA SILVA
  • ANGELICA
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC DAVIS
  • B.McWilliams
  • Anuj Vaidya
  • Ann Chau
  • Axella
  • Amanda Scott
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Davis Medical Center
  • Benjamin Burch
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Berkeley
  • Anissa Daniels
  • Androniki Fragakis
  • Carmelita B. Punzalan
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Berkeley
  • Chris McDonald
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Berkeley
  • Aida Barragan
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Davis
  • Art Rocha
    • Comments
    • First Lady, Please consider our request.
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA
  • Bo Bo Fung
  • Carlos Thompson
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA Medical Center
  • Christian Beckley
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA
  • Anita Ponce
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Davis
  • Amanda Isaac
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Davis
  • Alicia Arce
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA
  • Alvaro Lopez-Piedra
    • Comments
    • God bless You, our President and your beautiful family. Hope lives on!
  • Dianne Brumbach
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Santa Cruz
  • Deninge Sims
    • Comments
    • They have cut my salary and my hours; and yet executives continue receiving top pay. THIS IS UNFAIR!!!!!
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • BERKELEY
  • Frank Albarran
  • cj Williams
    • Comments
    • SINGLE PAYER HEALTH PLAN we have had those promises of reduction before, prices went back up the moment single payer taken off table.
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Berkeley
  • Borae Kim
    • Comments
    • So true. They are all very valid points.
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA
  • cindy lopez
  • Bambi Rhoden
  • Adine Clark
  • Daniel Galvan
    • Comments
    • Thanks for everything you've done so far...
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UC Irvine
  • Alicia Newsom
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • pss
  • Cynthia Moreno
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCDMC
  • Louise Lee
    • Comments
    • Thank you so much
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • Los Angeles
  • Christopher Coad
  • Grace Leon
    • University campus/med center /lab
    • UCLA