25,000 University of California workers to strike Wednesday
The union accuses the UC system of unfair labor practices.
Roughly 25,000 University of California Service and Patient Care Technical workers are set to strike for one day Wednesday over allegations that the system is engaging in outsourcing and other complaints.
Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 plan to strike at 10 campus locations and five medical centers, according to a union press release issued Nov. 1.
UNION MEMBERSHIP IS HIGHEST IN THESE STATES, AND SOME OF THEM MIGHT SURPRISE YOU
AFSCME Local 3299 accuses the UC system of failing to enforce its own minimum wage policy for outside contractors and demanding that contract workers accept arbitrary wage cuts. The union chapter also cited reports that employees were paid under multiple names to get around overtime rules.
Students go about their business at University of California, Los Angeles, in this file photo. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images)
University administrators beg to differ, however.
"Over the past two and a half years of negotiations, ASFCME leaders have not budged on their unreasonable wage demands," UC spokesman Andrew Gordon told The Mercury News earlier in November. "They have refused to hold a vote on any one of UC's many fair proposals. And this strike notice does nothing to give employees the long-overdue agreement and raises they deserve."
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The upcoming strike has already sent shockwaves through California. The DNC will no longer hold its Dec. 19 Democratic debate at the University of California-Los Angeles because of the impending strike, The Los Angeles Times reported.
AFSCME Local 3299's decision to strike comes after filed six new unfair labor practice complaints against UC in late October.
"These complaints detail UC's continuing systematic and often secretive efforts to replace its own employees with lower wage contractors," AFSCME 3299 President Kathryn Lybarger said in a statement. "What is so troubling about UC's continuing illegal conduct is that it’s becoming even more prevalent. It's past time for UC to change course and treat all of their workers with the respect and security we deserve."
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AFSCME Local 3299 held a one-day strike against UC in April.