University of California student workers, including teaching assistants, have been feeling with the effects of the budget crisis especially. The students, who are represented by the United Auto Workers, are facing job losses, salary decreases, and more work. The consequences they are facing are making them search for more employment to help pay for their education.

But the plight of these student workers is also affecting undergraduate students in classes. With fewer teaching assistants and with classes filled beyond capacity, students are not getting the same amount of help they used to receive in classes.

The UAW is trying to educate the community about their cause and send a message to the UC administration.

The UAW at UCLA has been taking additional efforts since the protest in March.

They have drafted more than 6,500 letters, representing more than 50 percent of the 12,000 student workers in the UC system, and addressed them to UC president Mark Yudof, Governor Schwarzenegger, and the California Legislature, asking them to "prioritize funding for public higher education and raise revenue from those who can most afford it, not students and workers," said UAW South Vice President Jorge Cabrera.

They plan on personally giving Yudof the letters "in the near future," he added.

The UAW will be bargaining on a new contract within the year. Up for negotiation are fee remissions, health care, wages, and other rights, benefits and protections.