60,000 UC Workers Plan Strike For Tuesday

CALIFORNIA — Nearly 20,000 University of California professional and research workers, along with an additional 40,000 UC service and patient care workers, announced a statewide one-day strike for Tuesday across the entire university’s school system in response to what the unions are calling "UC's unfair labor practices."

This strike is expected to impact about 60,000 workers at every UC campus and medical center across the state. This is the third unfair labor practices strike at UC schools in the past four months.

The University of California employs 232,000 workers, making it the third-largest employer in the state. There are some 300,000 students currently enrolled across all campuses.

Some facilities, such as UC San Francisco, have said they expect to see "limited impact" on patient care.

The estimated 20,000 UC professional and research workers are represented by the University Professional and Technical Employees union, UPTE-CWA 9119.

UPTE, which initiated the strike, said the UC system has "an illegal 'divide-and-conquer' tactic" with every new job title, essentially moving people into non-union titles.

The union stated on its site that:

"During our contract negotiations, UC has refused to bargain over pay scales and other issues unique to the thousands of workers in non-union titles who joined UPTE in the past few years, most recently Research and Development Engineers. Many of these workers have been attempting to bargain separately for more than three years now."

The union also claims that UC has imposed higher healthcare premiums "even though UC promised that it would not increase premiums while it was bargaining with us."

'Sympathy Strike' Ropes In Another 40K UC Workers

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees — or AFSCME — is striking with the UPTE in what they are calling a "sympathy strike."

That union represents UC service and patient care workers.

“Our members know UC’s pattern of serial lawbreaking at the bargaining table, first hand,” said Michael Avant, AFSCME Local 3299 president. “It continues to impede constructive negotiations and a solution [to] the affordability crisis and staff vacancy epidemic plaguing UC’s frontline workforce. That’s why our members will join their UPTE-CWA colleagues in solidarity on April 1.”

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UC Response

According to UC spokesperson Heather Hansen, the UC has met with AFSCME and UPTE for months to come to an agreement. She said they have offered generous wage increases, monthly credits to reduce health care expenses, expanded sick leave and improved ability to schedule vacation time.

Hansen said they suggested these changes more than a year ago for AFSCME, and eight months ago to UPTE, to settle these contracts and avoid disruptions like these.

“More importantly, our proposals have been designed to specifically address the top priorities that union members have identified as most important. These strikes cost the University system millions of dollars, at a time when federal and state funding is uncertain,” Hansen wrote in an email.

Hansen claims UPTE and AFSCME are not being forthright in their characterizations.

“Which is upsetting since we've made sincere efforts to find mutually beneficial solutions. Regardless, we are hopeful AFSCME and UPTE will make meaningful efforts to settle these contracts soon,” Hansen added in her email.

Critical Care Workers Secured

The AFSCME confirmed it has been working to negotiate successor contracts for nearly a year.

“UC’s continued unlawful actions hurt both the workers it routinely praised as ‘heroes’ during the pandemic, and the students and patients we are here to serve,” said Avant. “It is past time for the university to change course, to respect the rights of the frontline workers who make this institution run and to finally bargain in good faith.”

AFSCME said that although it is the UC’s responsibility to provide staff during this legally protected strike, AFSCME has volunteered several dozen exempted critical care workers for strike participation that will enable them to support emergencies during the work stoppage, according to Todd Stenhouse, a UCSF AFSCME spokesperson.

Impacts on Campus

In addition to patient care, students and staff across all campuses are expected to see impacts on Tuesday, as 60,000 workers stay home or walk picket lines. During the previous two strikes that impacted UCLA, in November and February, most dining halls were closed, with students reporting long lines due to reduced dining hall locations and hours.

The UCLA Mail, Document, and Distribution Services warned employees that the strike may affect delivery services and encouraged departments to stock up on necessary supplies.

In February, strikers encouraged students to boycott on-campus shops to cut into the university's income, but that tactic will not be in use on April 1.