University of California workers got employment on Wednesday as it began via wages, staffing shortages and working conditions.
Two different trade unions are leading the strike. Approximately 37,000 UC Services and Patient Care workers, represented by the Federal Regional 3299 Federation (AFSCME), will host a two-day strike, with pickets being held at all 10 uc campuses and UC medical facilities.
20,000 UC Healthcare, Research and Technology workers, represented by University Professionals and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119 (UPTE-CWA), will host a three-day strike.
A duplicate strike can have serious consequences for patients and affect surgery in hospitals, clinics, and research facilities.
The AFSCME contract with the university expired in 2024, with negotiations on a new contract underway for the past year. The UPTE-CWA contract expired at the end of October 2024, and negotiations have continued for eight months, according to the union.
“We want a fair deal,” said Jesse Hernandez, a strike UC worker. “That’s all we want. There’s nothing more than that, nothing less.”
University Professional and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119 and AFSCME Local 3299 Protests (Orange County Register via Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register) in front of UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, California on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Center of Orange, California, Wednesday, February 26th, 2025. (Orange County Registration via Paul Bersebach/AP) Riverside staff will attack unfair labor practices on Wednesday, February 26th as members of AFSCME 3299, representing UC Services and Patient Care Workers Piquet along AFSCUS. CA- February 26: Members will lead the chant in protest against the University’s Specialist and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119 and AFSCME Local 3299 on Wednesday, February 26, 2025 in front of UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, California. Bersebach/Medianews Group/Orange County Register by Getty Images) CA-CA-February 26: University experts and technical employees CWA Local 9119 protests in front of UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange, California on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Paul Bersebach/Medianews Group/Orange County Register by Getty Images) University of California workers began on February 26, 2025 with wages, staff shortages and working conditions, and left their jobs on February 26, 2025. (KTLA) Staff at the University of California, Riverside attack unfair labor practices as members of UPTE (University Professionals and Technical Employees) and AFSCME 3299. During a two-day strike by patient care and service workers claiming unfair negotiation tactics by the University of California, Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood, California on Wednesday, November 20, 2024, UC System denies (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Westwood, California – November 20 – Workers Picket of Westwwood’s previous worker Picket of Westwwood claiming unfair negotiation tactics by the University of California, the UC System denies (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images). (KTLA) Approximately 60,000 workers at the University of California were hired on February 26, 2025 as they began via wages, staffing shortages and working conditions. (KTLA) Approximately 60,000 workers at the University of California were hired on February 26, 2025 as they began via wages, staffing shortages and working conditions. (KTLA) Union members will protest Wednesday, February 26, 2025 in front of the California Irvine Medical Center in Orange, California. (KTLA)
Workers said the UC system will address the cost of living with fair wages and what they say is a staffing crisis that threatens patient care and critical research.
“For example, you can see that in addition to the salary increases, the Prime Minister has a salary increase,” Hernandez said. “But what [workers] Look at people who live their pay to pay their wages. We see an increase in the number of people who can’t afford rent. ”
“It’s all a waiting game and we don’t have time to work hard,” said Janet Obesi, a strike worker. “There’s no patience with less money in my pocket.”
A representative from the AFSCME said, “As real wages drop and the cost of living skyrocketing, more than 13,000 UC services and patient care workers have left their jobs in the past four years.”
Both unions alleged that the university failed to negotiate in good faith, and that UC officials tried to prevent workers from protesting.
“Instead of dealing with the actual wage reductions that facilitated staff exit at UC’s medical centres and campuses and staff escape at negotiation tables, UC chose to illegally implement any rules that dismiss workers raising concerns while limiting access to union representatives. “UC’s blatant illegal activities prevent workers from free speech. The university has begun to listen to us and engage in constructive negotiations rather than intimidating tactics. That’s why workers exercise their legal rights to attack.”
UC representatives denied these allegations while saying they reached out and said union officials offered to raise wages that they had not responded.
The university’s proposal will provide workers with a wage increase of 5% in 2025 and a wage increase of 3% in the second and third years of contract. Wages for low-paid employees will also increase to at least $25 an hour by July 1st.
UC officials issued a statement saying the university was “disappointing the union,” denying allegations of a shortage of staff, saying “the claim is untrue and if you keep repeating it, it won’t make it true.”
“We are in good faith and continuous negotiations and are disappointed that AFSCME and Upte remain unwilling to do the same,” the university said. “UPTE, which began preparing for the strike when contract negotiations began for the same month, failed to attend the latest negotiation session and declared a deadlock before responding to the offer.
AFSCME has not responded to university proposals or counter-cooperatives since May 2024. Both AFSCME and UPTE may wish to return to the table at UC, but the success of resolving these contracts depends on their willingness to engage in productive negotiations. The university will do everything it can to mitigate the impact of the strike on patients, students, faculty and staff. ”
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