Thousands of University of California workers go on 2-day strike over wages, staff shortages
Thousands of University of California workers on Wednesday began a two-day strike to protest what they say are unfair bargaining tactics by the university system
SAN FRANCISCO — Thousands of University of California workers on Wednesday began a two-day strike to protest what they say are unfair bargaining tactics by the university system and staff shortages. The university denies the allegations.
The strike by 37,000 service and patient care workers represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 comes a month after the union filed a complaint with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board alleging that the university has engaged in illegal bad faith bargaining.
AFSCME Local 3299 said in its complaint that the university “illegally sidestepped bargaining to unilaterally increase healthcare costs by hundreds of dollars every month, refused to provide critical staff vacancy and financial information needed for constructive negotiations, and detailed a pattern of UC representatives repeatedly coming to bargaining sessions unprepared and without authority to negotiate.”
“Filing a claim does not mean there has been a finding of wrongdoing by the university. The University disagrees wholeheartedly with their claims,” the university said in a statement.
The university said it has been negotiating a new contract with AFSCME Local 3299 since January and that the union “has not responded to or acknowledged any UC proposals since May.” It said the university and the union are in the final stage of the impasse process at the Public Employment Relations Board.
The university offered all employees a minimum wage of $25 an hour starting July 1, 2025, and at least a 5% pay raise, it
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