Legislators Call On UC To Bargain In Good Faith.
Berkeley, California – 48,000 UAW-represented employees of the University of California will walk off the job and onto the picket line as a multi-unit, statewide Unfair Labor Practices strike begins this morning. UAW represents Academic Workers across ten campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, including Teaching Assistants, Postdocs, Academic Student Employees, Graduate Student Researchers, Academic Researchers, Readers, Tutors and more. Together they perform the majority of teaching and research at UC.
“We have been bargaining throughout the weekend and while important progress has been made, we are still far apart on many of the issues that will make UC a more equitable university: dignified compensation that addresses the crisis of affordable housing, access to transportation benefits so those who must commute can do so affordably and with a minimal carbon footprint, Non-Resident Supplemental Tuition Remission, and appointment lengths,” said Rafael Jaime, President of UAW 2865, which represents 19,000 of the 48,000 workers. “We are hopeful that UC will cease its Unfair Labor Practices and bargain with us in good faith.”
In support of the workers, many of whom have been at the bargaining table with UC for over a year, 36 California legislators sent letters to Michael Drake, President of UC, urging him to avert the strikes.
“As members of California’s legislature, we urge you to avert strikes by ceasing to commit unfair labor practices and begin bargaining in good faith with the 48,000 UAW-represented University of California (UC) Academic Workers,” the letter reads. The letters are available here.
Times and locations for the strikes, which are the biggest in the nation, biggest of the year and largest at any academic institution in history, are listed here. Press is welcome to attend.
Learn more online at www.FairUCNow.org.