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December 03, 2003

Don't Let Arnold Terminate the California Labor Centers!

See this link for more, but this is a crucial fight for progressives, not only in California but across the country.

One of Arnold Schwarzenegger's first acts upon becoming Governor of California this month was announcing the TERMINATION of all labor research and education programs within the University of California (UC) system. On November 25th, Governor Schwarzenegger announced draconian midyear cuts to the state budget, including plans to immediately ELIMINATE the Institute for Labor and Employment, the parent organization of the Labor Centers at UC Berkeley and UCLA.
Please send the letter below to California's legislative leaders, and ask them to stop this attack!

Schwarzenegger's decision will destroy the efforts of the labor and social justice movement to establish a research and education institute for working people within the UC system. The Institute's programs include paid student internships with unions, labor education courses, and critical research on living wage initiatives and issues facing garment workers, farm workers, and other low wage workforces.

There is still be a chance to block this decision in the state legislature. Please contact California Senate President Pro Tem John Burton and Assembly Speaker Herb Wessen, and ask them to defend labor at the University of California against Arnold's right wing power grab. The University and its programs should serve the needs of working people, not just powerful corporations.

The ILE's current budget is only $4 million, a small fraction of the more than $31 million that business schools get from state funds! And as you may have guessed, no business school was singled out for 100% reduction.

So write a letter and help!

Posted by Nathan at December 3, 2003 03:23 PM

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