The Democratic National Committee will no longer host its sixth debate at the University of California, Los Angeles, due to a labor dispute between the university and a local union, according to an email the DNC sent to the Democratic candidates. (CNN)
“In response to concerns raised by the local organized labor community in Los Angeles, we have asked our media partners to seek an alternative site for the December debate,” DNC senior adviser Mary Beth Cahill said in an emailed statement. “We will be in touch with more information when it is available.” (Politico)
AFSCME 3299, an affiliate of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, sent a letter to at least six of the candidates on Tuesday, asking them to respect its boycott on speakers appearing at UC schools until the dispute is resolved. In other words, AFSCME 3299 told the candidates that if they support workers’ rights, they need to skip the UCLA debate. (HuffPost)
The union boycott was started following allegations that the university had been illegally outsourcing jobs. (Mediaite)