Above, Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), listened as we organized to hold UC accountable to students, employees and the citizens of California. Our latest victory was a unanimous vote from the Joint Legislative Audit Committee to conduct a comprehensive audit of UC’s finances, which will begin later this year. Like Yee, many legislators have put pressure on UC to help us obtain fair wages and benefits. We need to support legislators who support us.

How can you help? Through your voluntary contribution to COPE, our political action fund. Your $5 per month (or more) means you’ll have a voice in how UC spends the billions it receives from the state, and what policies it enacts. Among other actions, legislators have supported UC employees by:

• introducing Senate Bill 190, which would force UC to comply with open meetings laws
  
• requiring UC officials to testify at legislative hearings designed to improve labor relations
  
• introducing Assembly Bill 1333, requiring UC to have independent actuarial studies done for public review before making changes to pension contributions

“Our benefits and pensions are coming under attack. We need to have a strong presence in Sacramento by electing people who are concerned about quality research and education.”
– Rita Kern, Staff Research Associate, UCLA

“COPE is extremely important, because as public employees our true bosses are elected in Sacramento. Our wages and benefits are largely determined by what happens in the Legislature. We need to make sure we elect public officials that are friendly to university employees.”
– Lisa Kermish, Administrative Analyst, UCB

“A contribution to COPE is an investment in your job, your career and your future. Many legislators have been key in securing us extra money for our pay raises. They have been extremely helpful in pressuring UC to treat us fairly and equitably.”
– Kevin Rooney, Sr. EH&S Tech, UCSF