University of California workers announce strike over pay, health care disputes

The University of California faces a two-day strike starting Wednesday after two unions announced contract negotiations had stalled.

American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, Local 3299 and University Professional and Technical Employees at UCSF, or UPTE, representing service workers, patient care technical staff, and healthcare employees, have declared the strike, set for Wednesday and Thursday.

According to Liz Perlman, Executive Director of AFSCME Local 3299, UC leadership is entering bad-faith negotiations and has filed a formal claim with California’s Public Employment Relations Board. She said the situation has become untenable for workers.

“We have folks on public assistance and sleeping in their cars, and instead of meaningfully addressing that, the university is actually driving a further wedge at the table by adding in proposals around massive cuts to our health care,” Perlman said.

Perlman noted that 70% of employees cannot afford to live near their campuses.

Heather Hansen, a representative from the UC Office of the President, denied the union’s allegations and said AFSCME stopped responding to the university's proposals in May.

“This is despite us offering them what they asked for — they asked us for $25 an hour for their employees and a 5% raise,” said Hansen. “We continue to reach out to them in hopes of resolving our differences.”

AFSCME Local 3299 is the largest employee union within the University of California system, representing over 30,000 workers. The strike will impact all 10 UC campuses and five medical centers, including UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento.