February 26, 2020
The Cabrillo College Federation of Teachers (CCFT) is writing in full support of the University of California, Santa Cruz, Graduate Teaching Assistants’ campaign and their demand for a reasonable COLA that reects the high cost of living in Santa Cruz County. The graduate TA’s at UCSC serve as teachers, evaluators, mentors, counselors, confidants, and more to over 17,000 undergraduate students at the university. For performing these indispensable functions, the Graduate Teaching Assistants get paid approximately $2,000 a month. UC Santa Cruz’s own Community Rentals office lists the average cost for a studio apartment at $1,428 and a one bedroom at $1,995 in 2018. The County of Santa Cruz’ Human Services Department states a single person earning less than $2,024, and a family of two earning less than $2,744 qualies for CalFresh (food stamps).
The Cabrillo College Federation of Teachers (AFT 4400) recognizes a living wage as fundamental and supports the UAW Local 2865 UC SantaCruz Teaching Assistants’ strike for a living wage
increase of $1,412 a month. CCFT calls upon the administration of UC Santa Cruz to honor and value the essential work the Graduate Teaching Assistants perform, and pay them a living wage.
Sincerely,
The CCFT Executive Board