A study released Thursday by a labor union representing
University of California employees has found significant gaps
between the salaries of UC and California State University service
workers.
The study, conducted by the American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees, found that some low-level service workers
at the UC make up to 26 percent less than their counterparts at
CSU. On the other end of the salary scale, the study found that
some UC executives make up to 73 percent more than CSU
executives.
But LaKesha Harrison, president of the AFSCME Union Local 3299,
said that in both systems, executives were making more and more
money while lower-level employees were making less and less.
“It’s all about fairness,” Harrison said.
“If you’re going to give to people at the top, you
should give to people at the bottom as well.”
Harrison and union spokeswoman Faith Raider said the wage gaps
between executives’ and service workers’ salaries
severely affect low-level workers in both systems.
“Service workers are not earning enough to pay for basic
necessities like food and health care,” Raider said.
“It’s surprising to find out that UC workers are so far
behind (in terms of salary).”
However, UC spokesman Noel Van Nyhuis said the union’s
view of the situation is flawed, adding that the higher quality of
UC executives and administrators justified the higher salaries.
“We are competing for talent,” he said. “There
is just no comparison.”
But according to Harrison the issue is less about compensation
and more about consistency.
“This is not to say that the chancellors are not worth
whatever they make,” she said. “But you have to be fair
to everybody. Service workers are underpaid.”
Van Nyhuis said that while gaps may still exist, “last
year (the UC) came to a new three-year contract for all service
workers that included wage increases across the board.”
He added that the UC has hired a consultant to assess wages, and
has implemented a long-term plan to raise wages for all
employees.
“The UC is generally at market-level in terms of total
compensation when you factor in things like health benefits,”
he said.
The UC has recently come under fire from legislators and
interest groups for some of its compensation policies, including
accusations of unreported bonuses and salary increases for top
executives.
Harrison noted that while the discrepancy affects the workers
themselves most directly, it may impact students to some degree as
well.
Raider said that in light of student fee increases, the UC
should prioritize its expenditures.
“Student fees have been increasing exponentially, and
student services have been cut,” she said. “While the
executive salaries have been going up, everyone else at the UC has
been suffering under the illusion of a budget crunch.”
Raider said she thinks the wage gap exists partially because of
accountability issues.
“There has not been much accountability or disclosure to
the legislature and the (UC) Board of Regents,” she said.
“The executives have been working behind the scenes to get
their salaries up to market value. They should be doing this for
the whole system.”
In response to the study, over 2,000 of the 18,000 workers
represented by AFSCME have signed a petition asking the state
legislature to examine the wage gap.
“People need to be aware that workers know this is going
on,” Harrison said. “We don’t have the money to
fight (the universities), but we do have the people
power.”
The petition will be presented to the Senate Higher Education
Subcommittee on Feb. 8.