UAW Workers Stage ‘Last Chance’ Practice Picket at UC Santa Barbara

Hundreds of unionized University of California workers circled the Arbor in front of the Library at UC Santa Barbara on Thursday at what organizers called a “last chance” practice picket — a visible warning that a strike could be days away if contract talks continue to stall.

Roughly 300 workers marched through the center of campus shortly after noon, carrying signs and chanting for fair pay, job security, and protections for international employees. Similar demonstrations were held concurrently across all 10 UC campuses as part of a coordinated action by United Auto Workers Local 4811, which represents tens of thousands of academic and professional staff systemwide.

The union has accused the university of committing unfair labor practices during ongoing negotiations with three bargaining units: Academic Student Employees, Student Services and Advising Professionals, and Research and Public Service Professionals — together representing about 40,000 workers. In simple terms, the groups include graduate student instructors and teaching assistants, as well as academic advisors, admissions coordinators, researchers, and other campus professionals.

“This is their last chance,” said Emma Hanlon, a graduate student teaching assistant and union head steward at UCSB. She pointed to the recent strike authorization vote in which more than 90 percent of participating members supported giving union leadership the power to call a walkout.

Hanlon said workers believe the university has made unilateral changes to working conditions during negotiations, including reducing some appointments to 25 percent. At that level, she said, “people can’t pay their bills.” She also said the union has requested budget information from the university that it has not yet received — an issue she described as a central point of dispute at the bargaining table.

In March 2025, the University of California announced that in the face of a projected $271 million to $397 million reduction in state funding, along with cuts to federal research support, there would be a systemwide hiring freeze. While the Office of the President has not announced a blanket reduction in student appointments, budget pressures have led to department-level cuts across campuses.

Back at the Arbor, union members say it is not just about wages. Salvador Escalante, a philosophy fellow from Mexico City, said, “Our key demands are three: fair wages that keep up with the cost of living, protections for international workers like me, and appointment security.”

Escalante described the turnout as encouraging. Organizers had prepared about 300 protest signs, he said. “We almost ran out of signs. That means it was a pretty good showing.”

The action comes weeks after union members across the UC system voted to authorize a potential strike over what they characterize as bad-faith bargaining by university administrators. That vote did not automatically trigger a walkout but allows union leaders to call one if negotiations break down. Today’s picket was practice. 

The demonstrations also coincided with a decision by the Public Employment Relations Board to certify a new bargaining unit of roughly 2,000 UC employees in communications, marketing, and sales roles as UAW members — expanding the union’s footprint within the university system.

UC officials have previously disputed the union’s characterization of negotiations, saying they have continued to meet regularly and have reached multiple tentative agreements. As of Thursday afternoon, no strike had been formally called.

Still, Hanlon said the practice picket was intended to signal that workers are prepared to act quickly.

“We’re giving them one last chance,” she said. “Our bargaining team could make an announcement as soon as this weekend.”

Elaine Sanders contributed reporting to this story.