Guest commentary: UC and the new economic paradigm
As our state’s third largest employer, most would acknowledge that UC has long served a vital public mission beyond academics, health care delivery and research — as a gateway to the middle class for generations of Californians who built careers there. But today, UC is relinquishing this role — and in doing so, is enabling a growing shadow workforce to be exploited… an army of subcontractors — primarily people of color employed by private firms — to do these same jobs for as much as 53 percent less in pay, little to no benefits, and no opportunity for advancement or a voice on the job. To be clear, UC is not saving 53 percent on labor costs. In fact, when you factor in the overhead and profits that private firms build on top of the poverty wages they pay their workers, UC might not be saving anything at all.
Read full article [here].
by Kathryn Lybarger, The Contra Costa Times.