UC Patient Care, California Workers Begin 2-Day Strike

Thousands of patient care and service workers at UCLA, UC Irvine and other University of California campuses in the state began a two-day strike Wednesday, alleging unfair bargaining tactics, charges the UC system denies.

According to the AFSCME Local 3299 union, the strike includes about 37,000 UC workers “at every UC campus and medical facility in the state.” The strike began at midnight on Wednesday and continues until midnight on Thursday night. Picketing on both days will take place between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m

“The University’s serial flouting of the law at the bargaining table means that the understaffing epidemic at UC facilities and the cost-of-living and housing affordability crises affecting UC’s frontline workers are only getting worse,” said Michael Avant, president AFSCME Local 3299, in a statement. “By failing to fulfill its most basic legal responsibilities to the dedicated professionals who clean its facilities, serve its students’ food and treat its patients, UC has left workers with no choice but to exercise their legal right to strike.”

The UC System issued a statement earlier this month when the strike notice was issued, saying officials “fundamentally disagree with AFSCME’s allegations of bad faith bargaining and the characterization of the bargaining proposals as unacceptable.”

UC officials said the university and union had a solid series of meetings and exchanges on various contract proposals between January and May.

“The University’s proposals include $700 million in economic increases for AFSCME members and a direct response to what AFSCME has been asking for — the greater of a $25 hourly minimum wage or a 5 percent across-the-board increase,” according to UC . . “Our proposals would increase pay for AFSCME members by an average of 26 percent over the course of the five-year contract. We also proposed monthly credits of $75 or $100 for AFSCME members to offset increases in employee premiums.”

University officials said in May the union stopped responding to or acknowledging the university’s proposals and declared an impasse “despite our clear desire to continue negotiating contract terms.” According to the university, the latest proposal would have raised wages to $25 an hour systemwide by July 1, 2025.

The union alleges, however, that the university “illegally circumvented negotiations to unilaterally increase health care costs by hundreds of dollars each month” and also refused to provide the union with information about job vacancies and certain finances.

“Over the past year, we have worked to engage in good faith negotiations regarding the job quality needs of our members and the growing vacancy crisis that is eroding the quality of service on UC campuses and hospitals,” he Avant said. “Instead of being a constructive and transparent partner trying to bring us closer to an agreement, UC has sought to alienate us by withholding critical information, appearing unprepared and without the authority to compromise, and attempting to unilaterally impose cost increases healthcare that will act as a pay cut for workers who are already struggling to survive.”

Union officials said some of its members are forced to endure hours-long commutes or sleep in cars, and the share of the workforce eligible for some government housing subsidies “has almost tripled since 2017”.

Union members staged picket lines at all UC medical facilities, including the UCLA campus and Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and UC Irvine Medical Center.

UC officials said they planned the withdrawal to mitigate its potential impacts and not interrupt patient care.

UCLA Health issued a statement saying it has developed “detailed plans” to maintain patient care during the strike.

“All health care facilities are open and operational. UCLA Health continually evaluates resources and strategically deploys staff and managers to ensure its highest priority—the delivery of safe, high-quality care,” according to UCLA Health. “Picketing and other activities — particularly in the vicinity of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and the Medical Plaza complex in Westwood — may cause traffic delays. Patients are advised to allow extra travel time.

According to UCLA Health, employees represented by AFSCME include technical patient care employees such as emergency radiology and trauma technicians; phlebotomists; perfusionists and nurses, along with service employees such as custodians, security guards, and food service workers.

UC’s contract with patient care workers expired on July 31, while the service workers’ contract expired on October 31, according to the union.