Thousands of employees with the University of California (UC) are walking off the jobs as two unions and the university have been unable to reach a deal, potentially affecting research and hospital operations.
Different unions within the system are holding strikes that started on Wednesday, with one union holding the line until Friday.
The University Professional and Technical Employees-CWA Local 9119, which represents 20,000 UC workers, and AFSCME Local 3299, representing 40,000 workers, have gone on strike to protest staffing shortages and unfair wages, as well as rules they say inhibits employees from speaking up about complaints.
“Instead of addressing the decline in real wages that has fueled the staff exodus at UC Medical Centers and Campuses at the bargaining table, UC has chosen to illegally implement arbitrary rules aimed at silencing workers who are raising concerns while limiting their access to union representatives,” said AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant.
“UC ’s blatantly illegal actions are interfering with workers’ free speech. It’s time the University started listening to us and engaging in constructive negotiations rather than intimidation tactics. That’s why workers will exercise their legal right to strike,” he added.
Between the two unions, employees ranging from researchers, physician assistants, pharmacists, and other medical workers will go on strike, raising concerns about operations at the hospitals and other facilities during this time.
According to The Los Angeles Times, workers gathered yesterday morning and wore blue and green union shirts that said “on strike” while yelling chants such as “Whose university? Our university!”
UPTE plans to protest until Friday while AFSCME will end their strike on Thursday night.
“The University of California is disappointed that AFSCME and UPTE plan to strike. Both unions have chosen to focus their energy on strike preparation and amplifying misinformation rather than negotiating in good faith. We have offered each union meaningful wage increases, health care premium reductions, and other offers to directly address the issues they’ve indicated are important to their members,” the university said in a statement about the strikes.
“While both AFSCME and UPTE may say they want UC to return to the table, the successful resolution of these contracts depends on their willingness to engage in productive bargaining. The University will do everything possible to ensure strike impacts on patients, students, faculty and staff are mitigated,” it added.
The strikes will affect nearly a dozen of UC’s campuses across the state.
