Two-day strike at UC Santa Cruz to disrupt some campus services Wednesday and Thursday
SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV) -- The UC Service and Patient Care workers announced Tuesday that they are planning a two-day strike that will affect all UC campuses statewide.
This strike will take place from 12 a.m. on November 20 through 11:59 p.m. on November 21, with an expected 40,000 UC workers picketing on behalf of Unfair Labor Practices (ULP), according to AFSCME Local 3299, which represents over 37,000 service and patient care technical workers at 10 UC campuses, five medical centers, clinics, and other research laboratories.
“The University’s serial lawbreaking at the bargaining table means that the epidemic of understaffing at UC facilities, and the related cost of living and housing affordability crises plaguing frontline UC workers are only getting worse,” said AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant in a press release ahead of the strike. “By failing to meet its most basic legal responsibilities to the dedicated professionals who clean its facilities, serve students food, and treat its patients, UC has left workers with no choice but to exercise their legal right to strike.”
The decision to strike was met with a 99% approval vote weeks after Local 3299 filed formal charges with the State’s Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) alleging that "the university has engaged in illegal bad faith bargaining."
"AFSCME’s statements that the University has refused to bargain in good faith are unfounded, confusing and not consistent with the parties’ bargaining history," wrote the University of California system in a statement on November 1. "The issues AFSCME raises in its ULP are false and further, reflect issues that are endemic to the nation: increased cost of living and the economic disparities the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated."
Despite the UC system stating that they have submitted a proposal to try and address the allegations from AFSCME Local 3299, the union disagrees and says that "UC representatives repeatedly [came] to bargaining sessions unprepared and without authority to negotiate."
"Despite our proposals, we have heard nothing from AFSCME, not even an acknowledgment of our proposals," wrote the UC system. "Negotiations require both sides to work together. We are disappointed it seems that AFSCME remains unwilling to do so."
The disagreement has prompted the two-day strike across all UC campuses, including UC Santa Cruz. Impacted services might include health, dining and transit campus-wide.
The strike will take place on the UC Santa Cruz campus at High Street and Bay Drive, with rallies planned each day at 11:30 a.m.
