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Thirty-nine custodians and their supporters—including City Councilmember Max Anderson —sat down at the intersection of Bancroft Way and Telegraph Avenue Wednesday afternoon to make the point that UC Berkeley custodians should receive wages equal to wages earned by others in the area doing similar work. 

Berkeley police swiftly cited the protesters for obstructing traffic and released them. 

“The union [American Federa-tion of State, County and Muni-cipal Employees, AFL-CIO 3299] knows the resources are there,” Anderson said in a phone interview Thursday, explaining why he joined the protest. “It is probably the most richly endowed public university in the world.” 

Some 250 people—custodians, union allies, students and public officials—converged on lower Sproul Plaza to hear brief speeches, then marched around the campus before the smaller group sat down in the intersection. 

Victoria Garcia is a custodian who has worked at the university for six years. She addressed the rally in lower-Sproul Plaza, telling protesters that when she began work, she earned $11.22 per hour and now makes $11.83.  

“The cost of living is going up; we have to get a second job to afford groceries,” said Theodora Gonsalez, a seven-year custodian, speaking to the crowd through a translator. 

AFSCME says the legislature approved funds especially for the custodians’ raises, but the university, in a statement faxed to the Daily Planet, said: “Contrary to AFSCME’s assertions, UC’s final 2006-07 state budget did not contain additional funds for special raises for AFSCME-represented employees.”