Over 55,000 healthcare professionals, researchers, and service workers formed a University of California (UC)–wide picket line on Wednesday, with employees from two labor unions going on strike against the UC system’s alleged unfair bargaining practices. Nearly one thousand UC Santa Barbara staff participated, picketing in front of Storke Tower in shifts and marching down to the Chancellor’s Office to make their voices heard.
For one of the unions, AFSCME Local 3299, it will be their second strike in four months. “Truth be told, it’s sadly and eerily similar” to the union’s November strike, said Todd Stenhouse, a spokesperson for AFSCME. “The issues at stake are no mystery. This is not new.”
Workers from AFSCME and UPTE — the other union on strike representing healthcare, research, and technical UC employees — are calling for affordable healthcare benefits and livable wages to reduce staffing shortages. Both unions have been in contract negotiations with UC staff since last year, but claim that UC has not brought timely and reasonable offers to the table.
“This is a willful ignorance of what it takes to make this university flourish,” said Stenhouse. “We negotiate at different tables, but together, we’re all frontline workers.”
Earlier this month, AFSCME filed another round of charges against the University of California with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). In the complaint, AFSCME alleged that UC used “threats of penalties and arrest” during the union’s November strike, constituting illegal unfair labor practices. AFSCME filed PERB charges against UC that month, alleging the system was not bargaining in good faith — still the centerpiece of today’s demonstrations.
On the other hand, Heather Hansen, a UC spokesperson, said that UPTE “didn’t show up on the last day of scheduled negotiations,” and “AFSCME has not responded to the University’s proposals or counter proposals since May 2024.”
“AFSCME and UPTE are talking about UC negotiating, but they need to walk the walk and actually bargain in good faith,” she said.
UC’s alleged “failure to address the unfair labor practices that are fuelling the staffing crisis,” has also been a hot topic during negotiations, said a February 14 press release from UPTE.
“There is no staffing crisis at UC,” rebutted Hansen. “This claim has no truth, and continuing to repeat it does not make it true.”
“Whether you’re students, or parents of students, or go to a UC health facility, what’s happening here affects us all,” said Stenhouse. “These are the people that make UC run, and we need to have a good-faith bargaining partner on the other side of the table.”
The strike is set to last three days and end on Friday, February 28.
You must be logged in to post a comment.