At UCSC Rally, Students Continue to Seek Napolitano's Resignation and Justice for Workers

Students rallied at UC Santa Cruz on February 26 to continue to protest the hiring of Janet Napolitano as president of the University of California system. "We say no to Napolitano, yes to worker demands," organizers stated in an announcement for the event where students also expressed solidarity with UC Service Workers represented by AFSCME 3299, who were planning to strike statewide on March 3-7, and Graduate Students Workers, who still plan to strike on March 5.

"The UC system is run on the backs of workers low wages and student debt while administrators make over $200,000 a year. Taking a stand against Napolitano means confronting the racism and classism that the UC system is founded upon. This foundation will only change with students and workers continuing to say no," the event announcement continued.

The rally began at Quarry Plaza, and students marched in the pouring rain to McHenry Library while loudly singing anti-Napolitano chants. At the library, there was a short mic check to raise awareness about the upcoming AFSCME strike. From there, students marched to Kerr Hall and attempted to enter the offices of Chancellor Blumenthal. Finding one office door locked, and another guarded by an administrator, students briefly discussed the idea of a conducting a sit-in in the hallway, but the group decided to leave the building to save energy for next week's strike.

During the March 3-7 AFSCME strike, service workers planned to picket both entrances of the campus all week beginning early in the morning, but later in the evening of February 26 the union announced it made a historic tentative contract agreement with the university and had canceled the strike.

UCSC Student Academic Workers represented by UAW 2865 still plan to strike on Wednesday, March 5. Additionally, a large student rally is planned for that day.

Quarry Plaza

"No Racism at UC - Fair Worker Contract"