Unsurprisingly, UC Berkeley Caves To Union Boycott Threat Of Clinton Speech

Unsurprisingly, the University of California, Berkeley has caved in to union and activist pressure to “insource” (and unionize) 93 positions of custodians and parking attendees.
The move did not come about as a result of the protests held, nor the ‘occupation‘ of the central administration offices at the University of California, Berkeley.

Here are the students @UCBerkeley Chancellor @nickdirks would rather have arrested than talk to. #Justice4UCWorkers pic.twitter.com/TIIhVXYzNM

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) December 3, 2015

Here are the students @UCBerkeley Chancellor @nickdirks would rather have arrested than talk to. #Justice4UCWorkers pic.twitter.com/TIIhVXYzNM

— Occupy Oakland (@OccupyOakland) December 3, 2015

Rather, UC Berkeley’s surrender came about as the threat of a boycott of a scheduled speech by former President Bill Clinton that was to take place in April.
In early February, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Local 3299—the main union that represents UC Berkeley workers—called for “a speaker’s boycott to bring in nearly 100 subcontracted custodians and parking attendants at UC Berkeley and to hire these workers as direct UC employees.”

The protest, which the union hopes will last until the remainder of the spring semester or until the university decides to hire the subcontracted workers, calls for support of speakers who are set to appear at the university to boycott their appearances. Speakers scheduled to appear at UC Berkeley include civil rights activist Angela Davis, former President Bill Clinton and his daughter, Chelsea Clinton.

Given that AFSCME gave Hillary Clinton one of her earliest union endorsements, and has campaigned for her vigorously to fend off a challenge by Sen. Bernie Sanders, it is not surprising that the university, which is noted for its liberalism and being the home of Pres. Clinton’s former Labor Secretary, agreed to insource and unionize the nearly 100 workers in exchange for not embarrassing the Clinton campaign.

Now that the university has agreed to insource and unionize the workers, the union has called off the boycott.

Image credit.