To: Dorothy Leland, UC Merced, Chancellor

UC Merced: Stop Parking Fee Increases!

We demand an end to increased parking fees for UC Merced employees and that UC Merced administration complies with the clerical and skilled trades Union contracts, which limit the parking rate increases.

Why is this important?

As we eagerly anticipate receiving our first paycheck including hard-earned 3 percent raises, UC Merced officials unveiled plans to raise employee parking fees at the main campus and to institute parking fees at the downtown campus.

To add insult to injury, UC Merced administration failed to notify our Union, Teamsters Local 2010, of their intent to raise parking fees and negotiate how this change will affect workers.

The planned parking fee increases are exorbitant and do not comply with our Union contracts. We have filed multiple grievances on this issue, but Administration has expressed that they still intend to increase parking rates.

Therefore, our Teamsters 2010 representatives have submitted a cease and desist letter demanding that UC Merced stop the parking increases until they meet with our Union.

With low wages and increasing fees, university employees are at risk of not being able to afford to come to work. This must end! UCM cannot continue to be a catalyst for poverty.

We demand an end to increased parking fees and that UC Merced administration complies with the clerical and skilled trades contracts, which limit the parking rate increases.