Gov. Backs Away From Closing Labor Center After Allies Maneuver Behind the Scenes
State legislators worked behind the scenes in July to force back Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most recent offensive against the state’s labor community – closing the UCLA Labor Center
For the second year, Schwarzenegger tried to cut funding for the University of California’s labor research centers. Critics of the move claim the centers are under attack by conservatives because they counter corporate interests with studies important to the working middle-class. Centers like the UCLA and UC Berkeley labor centers research the effect of raising wages for the state’s lowest paid workers, shedding light from a perspective other than those of corporations.
Under pressure from labor allies, the governor told UC administrators that he would allow the university system to restore $3.8 million in funding to the programs. When signing the budget, Schwarzenegger used his veto authority to make a last-minute funding cut for the labor centers, breaking an earlier agreement reached with progressive law makers.
“We’re pleased the governor has recognized the labor institute should be permanently funded,” said Steve Maviglio, spokesman for Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. “The speaker is thankful.”