Affected person care and repair staff rally at College of California, Irvine Medical Heart in Orange, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, as a part of a two-day statewide work stoppage in protest of what their union calls unfair bargaining ways by the college system, which denies the allegations. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register by way of AP)
SAN FRANCISCO — 1000’s of College of California staff on Wednesday started a two-day strike to protest what they are saying are unfair bargaining ways by the college system and employees shortages. The college denies the allegations.
The strike by 37,000 service and affected person care staff represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Workers Native 3299 comes a month after the union filed a grievance with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board alleging that the college has engaged in unlawful unhealthy religion bargaining.
AFSCME Native 3299 stated in its grievance that the college “illegally sidestepped bargaining to unilaterally enhance healthcare prices by lots of of {dollars} each month, refused to offer crucial employees emptiness and monetary info wanted for constructive negotiations, and detailed a sample of UC representatives repeatedly coming to bargaining periods unprepared and with out authority to barter.”
“Submitting a declare doesn’t imply there was a discovering of wrongdoing by the college. The College disagrees wholeheartedly with their claims,” the college stated in an announcement.
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The college stated it has been negotiating a brand new contract with AFSCME Native 3299 since January and that the union “has not responded to or acknowledged any UC proposals since Might.” It stated the college and the union are within the remaining stage of the deadlock course of on the Public Employment Relations Board.
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The college supplied all workers a minimal wage of $25 an hour beginning July 1, 2025, and at the least a 5% pay increase, it stated.
The contract for affected person care staff expired July 31 and the one for service staff expired October 31.
“The College’s serial lawbreaking on the bargaining desk signifies that the epidemic of understaffing at UC services, and the associated value of dwelling and housing affordability crises plaguing frontline UC staff are solely getting worse,” AFSCME Native 3299 President Michael Avant stated in an announcement.
One other union representing 4,000 healthcare, analysis and technical staff on the College of California, San Francisco additionally went on strike Wednesday to demand the college tackle what they are saying are systemwide employees shortages which have resulted in overcrowded emergency rooms, longer wait occasions and analysis delays.
The College Skilled and Technical Workers, or UPTE, stated union members at UCSF embody doctor assistants, pharmacists, case managers, rehabilitation specialists, psychological well being clinicians, medical lab scientists, optometrists, employees analysis associates, language interpreters, IT staff and extra.
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“When affected person demand goes up, hospitals want extra employees. The UC system could not care to prioritize affected person care, however our members do and are keen to carry UC accountable,” UPTE president Dan Russell stated in an announcement.
