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Governor Schwarzenegger Vetoes Funds for the
University of California Miguel Contreras Labor Program

UCLA and UC Berkeley Labor Centers, Institutes for Research on Labor
and Employment, and UC labor studies programs defunded

In a surprise move, 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 California 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, such as health care reform and climate change legislation.

We understand that this was a difficult budget year. However, as the San Francisco Chronicle editorial board noted previously when the governor attempted to eliminate funding for UC labor studies programs, "Schwarzenegger should not be wielding the budget as a crude tool to go after people or institutions he may differ with politically or philosophically, especially those operating within the University of California."

The governor reached in to the university budget and eliminated the only program at UC directed to labor. By 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. This could set a dangerous precedent for the governor to unilaterally remove any other research and educational programs that he does not like.

The Miguel Contreras Labor Program is named to honor 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. His action threatens to deny working people the benefits of the research and educational resources of California’s premier public university. The $5.4 million program represents only a small fraction of the funds allocated to business schools throughout the UC system. Yet the working people of California pay taxes to support the 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 premier labor studies programs in the country.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass released a statement on Tuesday saying, "The Governor has … broken his promise, again, to fund the Miguel Contreras Labor Institute. I am deeply disappointed in his actions today, and they set the stage for yet another difficult budget in the year ahead."

We will continue to work at getting back into Schwarzenegger’s January budget, and we need your help. Those decisions are being made as we write. Please take a minute right now to send a letter to the governor demanding that the Miguel Contreras Labor Program be included in his January budget. A sample letter is below. 

In the coming weeks, we will be keeping you informed of our progress.  We are grateful for your support.

Ken Jacobs, chair, UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education
Michael Reich, director, UC Berkeley Institute for Research on Labor and Employment
Chris Tilly, director, UCLA Institute for Research on Labor and Employment
Kent Wong, director, UCLA Center for Labor Research and Education

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Sample Letter

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160
E-mail: http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

Dear Governor Schwarzenegger:

I am deeply disturbed by your veto of funding of 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 of the University of California that a small number of your supporters wish to eliminate. 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. Your action also violates fundamental principles of academic freedom and university governance.

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 funding permanently in the future.