The Coup‘s Boots Riley announced today he has withdrawn plans to be the keynote speaker at UC Berkeley’s Black Graduation Ceremony this Saturday. Riley made the decision due to the University of California Custodians Union’s year-plus-long battle for higher wages. Actor Danny Glover, who was also scheduled to speak at the event, also pulled out of his speaking commitment. Full press release after the jump.
BOOTS RILEY WITHDRAWS PLANS FOR KEYNOTE SPEECH AT SATURDAY’S UC
BERKELEY’S BLACK GRADUATION IN SUPPORT OF CUSTODIAN UNION’S FIGHT TO END
POVERTY WAGES
THE COUP’S OUTSPOKEN MC JOINS DANNY GLOVER
IN PULLING OUT OF COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY
Boots Riley – The Coup’s admired, outspoken MC – has withdrawn plans to
serve as the keynote speaker at UC Berkeley’s Black Graduation
Ceremony this Saturday (May 12th). Actor Danny Glover has also pulled
out of this weekend’s Commencement in support of the University of
California Custodians Union’s year and a half long fight for higher
wages.
“In solidarity with the Custodian’s Union (AFSCME Local 3299), I will
not be making the UC Berkeley 2007 Black Graduation commencement
speech,” says Riley. “Many ideas were talked about regarding how to show
solidarity with and not get in the way of this fight. Some said that I
should use the opportunity to speak to the audience about the union’s
demands. However, being that the speaking theme I was given was
‘Revolution: Command Change,’ I feel the best way to embody this theme
is not to give lip service to it, but to show that we must be involved
in the struggles that are happening around us every day.”
“I wish the graduates who are going to be involved in the Black
Graduation well. I hope they understand that no matter what degree you
attain through academia, you must be on the right side of the struggle,”
Riley says of the Custodians’ eighteen month effort to obtain wage
equity.
“If the Union and UC Berkeley are able to agree on a contract before the
commencement ceremony on May 12, I will be more than happy to deliver my
speech,” Riley adds.
Alongside Riley, U.S. Congresswoman and UC Berkeley alumnus Barbara Lee,
plus 2008 Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John Edwards have all
lent support to the
AFSCME Local 3299’s demand to end to poverty wages. The Union’s actions
began at UC’s Berkeley, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara and Irvine campuses,
when it noticed that employees with similar duties at surrounding
institutions make $4 to $6 more per hour.
—Kathleen Richards
