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According to a study published by the University of California in 2012, subcontracted employees are three times more likely to need welfare, have 22% lower wages than their in-house counterparts, and 39% of them do not have health care. That same report indicates that immigrants and people of color are disproportionately impacted by these jobs. Despite producing this research, the University of California – the third largest employer in the state – contributes to the spread of poverty by outsourcing campus jobs.
Current contract workers at UC Berkeley are often forced to take second or third jobs in order to provide for themselves and their families. Despite performing the same tasks as their UC-employed counterparts, they often make half as much while receiving no benefits. This highly exploited workforce is also left without significant recourse in the event of workplace injury, discrimination, or sexual harassment. The highly precarious nature of their work is further exacerbated by these workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals and waste. And they are treated this way despite the fact that they maintain the cleanliness and safety of the number one public university in the world.
