Schwarzenegger Defunds UCLA and UC Berkeley Labor Centers, Institutes for Research on Labor and Employment, and UC Labor Studies Programs

In one last budget attack on issues that matter to working families, Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed all funding for the University of California’s Miguel Contreras Labor Program just before signing the state budget on Tuesday. Schwarzenegger and Republican legislators have long targeted the program for elimination, even as it has provided California policy makers with valuable research about the economic and workforce impacts of proposed California policies, including health care reform and climate change legislation.

The Miguel Contreras Labor Program honors a man whose life’s work was dedicated to improving the quality of life for workers. Miguel shared the vision that high quality academic research was key to supporting policy agendas to advance the needs of working families.

Governor Schwarzenegger's action threatens to deny working people the benefits of the research and educational resources of California’s premier public university. It is also extremely disruptive and burdensome to the faculty, staff and students who have worked so hard to build and maintain one of the top labor studies programs in the country.

The $5.4 million program represents only a small fraction of the funds allocated to business schools throughout the UC system - none of which Schwarzenegger saw fit to slash. We know this was a difficult budget year, but by reaching into the University of California's budget and directly cutting the entire labor and employment research program without any academic review, the Governor’s attack violates fundamental principles of academic freedom and university governance.

Now we're fighting to get the program back into the Governor's January budget and we need your help.  Please take a minute right now to send a letter to the Governor demanding that the Miguel Contreras Labor Program be included in next year's budget.   

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am deeply disturbed by your veto of funding for the UC Miguel Contreras Labor Program. This was a difficult budget year, but the state budget should not be used as a political tool to target one specific research and educational program. Your action violates fundamental principles of academic freedom and university governance.

As governor, you should be representing all working families in California, but once again you have cut out funding for the only program at UC that is dedicated to labor research and education.

The Miguel Contreras Labor Program has provided valuable and highly respected research on such issues as health care reform, climate change legislation, workforce development, and paid family leave. The labor studies programs have supported new and innovative courses and educational curriculum on all ten UC campuses and the education and outreach programs represent a significant investment in California's work force.

I urge you to work with UC to ensure that the Miguel Contreras Labor Program receives funding this year, and to restore permanent funding in the future.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
September 26, 2008