Three of the Associated Students of UCLA’s newly-unionized
employees may lose their jobs Sunday after failing to provide
proper identification to their employers.
Because of a discrepancy in their social security numbers, the
workers failed to comply with the I-9 section of the Employment
Eligibility Verification form, according to a letter sent by ASUCLA
to the workers, which union officials forwarded to the Daily Bruin.
All ASUCLA and university employees are required to complete the
eligibility verification form.
Though the employees had 10 days to provide proper forms of
identification, as stated in the American Federation of State
County and Municipal Employees contract, the workers have failed to
do so, resulting in imminent termination.
AFSCME officials said they would be meeting with ASUCLA
management today and hoped they could resolve the issue. Members of
the Student-Worker Front, who submitted a letter to Chancellor
Albert Carnesale expressing their concern over this situation, said
they were invited to attend the meeting.
Executive Director of ASUCLA Pat Eastman said that she could not
comment on the situation because of personal reasons. Sally
Amato-Rogers, who wrote the letter and is the director of ASUCLA
human resources, was not available to comment Thursday.
Additionally, a press aide said the chancellor would not comment
about this issue.
There were problems with the social security information
employees provided as a primary source of identification, according
to the letter. AFSCME was contacted on Oct. 4 regarding the
employees’ failure to comply with the I-9, after a certified
letter regarding the social security number discrepancy was sent to
the workers, the letter said.
Lakesha Harrison, president of AFCSME’s University of
California chapter, said the employees received No-Match letters,
sent by the social security office when there is an error with
employees’ social security numbers. Because the workers were
not in compliance with the I-9, ASUCLA sent a letter to the workers
and union officials on Oct. 17, announcing their intent to dismiss
the workers from employment effective Oct. 27.
In August, ASUCLA fully unionized eighty former part-time
workers, giving them full career wages and benefits after
negotiations with AFSCME. AFSCME believes that a discrepancy with
employees’ social security numbers is not a legitimate reason
to terminate employees. Harrison said AFSCME will file a grievance
report if the workers are terminated Sunday.
“By every means necessary we’ll get these workers
back,” she said.
Cynthia Rabuy, the chair of the ASUCLA board of directors, said
student board members had been informed by management that some
workers were not in compliance with the I-9, but she had heard
nothing about the three workers’ employment being terminated.
Reem Salahi, an undergraduate board representative, said she did
not recall hearing about the three workers losing their jobs.
The board of directors entrusts management with the
responsibility to ensure that workers are in compliance with
employment regulations, Rabuy said.
Current ASUCLA workers said they are now worried about the
status of their own jobs.
Lorena Arrieta, a senior food services worker from Hilgard
Houses said she has also received a No-Match letter from the social
security office and is concerned about the status of her job, along
with the rest of the employees.
“We’re worried that we’re going to lose our
jobs right after we became permanent workers of ASUCLA,”
Arrieta said through an interpreter.