United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) demands justice for UC San Diego Health staff members Tammy and Ashley, the only two Black women in their 32-person unit, who were laid off shortly after Tammy filed a discrimination complaint against her supervisor. UCSD Health did not follow the proper protocol when laying off these two workers in the middle of a global pandemic, and clearly retaliated against Tammy for speaking up about racism in the workplace.
These layoffs are blatantly racist and reflect harshly on UC San Diego's image. UCSD’s own HR Reaffirmation Notices state that “UC San Diego prohibits discrimination against or harassment of any person employed by or seeking employment with the University of California, consistent with the provisions of applicable state and federal regulations.” If this is the case, then why would they attempt to silence black female workers facing discrimination?
We demand UCSD Health CEO Patty Maysent rescind the layoffs of Tammy and Ashley immediately.