University of California workers, represented by union pairs, are on strike Wednesday during ongoing contract negotiations.
Members met at a rally late Wednesday morning outside the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in the West Los Angeles area.
Both unions advocate unfair labor practices. The university accused them of spreading the misinformation and not negotiating in good faith.
Approximately 37,000 UC services and patient care workers, represented by AFSCME Local 3299, will take part in the two-day strike starting at 7am on Wednesday, with pickets expected at all 10 UC campuses, including UCLA and UC Irvine, as well as UC health facilities across the state.
“Instead of addressing the decline in real wages that facilitated staff exit at UC’s medical centres and campuses and staff escape at negotiation tables, UC chose to illegally implement any rules intended to impose concerns while limiting access to union representatives. “UC’s blatant illegal activities are hindering workers’ freedom of speech. The universities have begun to listen to us and engage in constructive negotiations rather than intimidating tactics. That’s why workers attack their legal rights.”
The union contract with the university expired in 2024, and negotiations on new transactions have continued for the past year.
Meanwhile, approximately 20,000 UC healthcare, research and technology experts, represented by UPTE-CWA Local 9119, a university specialist and technical employee, began a three-day strike on Wednesday, affecting all UC campuses and medical centers as well. The UPTE contract expired at the end of October, and negotiations have continued for eight months, according to the union.
Dan Russell, UPTE’s statewide president and chief negotiator, said in a statement that the university “refused to engage in meaningful dialogue or to provide substantial counter-propositions to nearby UPTE proposals.”
“We will be blowing away as patients and research advocates the staffing crisis that threatens patient care and critical research, as patients and research advocates. “UPTE members will not allow UC to elicit negotiations indefinitely. We have made it clear that we are willing to withhold labor if UC is what is necessary to take our concerns seriously.”
UC officials issued a statement saying the university was disappointed with its decision to strike.
“Both unions chose to focus their energy on preparing for a strike and amplifying misinformation rather than negotiating in good faith,” according to the university. “We have provided each union with meaningful wage increases, reduced healthcare premiums, and other offers to address directly the issues they have shown are important to members.
Furthermore, we are sincerely and continuously negotiated and disappointed that AFSCME and UPTE don’t want to do the same thing.
“Both AFSCME and UPTE may say they want UC to return to the table, but the success of resolving these contracts depends on their willingness to engage in productive negotiations. The university will do everything possible to impact the strike on patients, students, faculty and staff.”
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