Timothy Chen wants UC to do the Right Thing by Meeting our Demands

Timothy Chen, an Endoscopy Technician at UCSF Parnassus, became more involved in our union during a reclassification fight at work. A group of technicians were doing advanced procedures. They were being exposed to radiation and doing complicated work, but they felt they were receiving substandard pay. The group of technicians launched a reclassification campaign. After a long fight, they were reclassified into a higher category. Timothy learned from that fight that our union is our shot to change things at the University of California.

He wants UC to “listen to us because we are the backbone of the UC system.” “We want UC to do the right thing by meeting our demands,” he says. One of those demands is our call for $25/5%. Timothy notes how “the cost of living has gone up, and our $25/5% fight is how we will get UC to see that times have changed.” He knows, though, that “UC will not adjust for inflation without a fight.”

We must show our strength in numbers: “It’s up to us to make noise,” declares Timothy. He agreed to be a MAT Leader three months ago because he wants to grow our union power by supporting and not complaining. “The stronger our union grows, the weaker management becomes,” he asserts. Leaders, like Timothy, look at the big picture and understand that “we don’t want to wake up one day, and management does what they want because the union is gone from lack of member support.”

Timothy started working at UCSF Parnassus two years ago. He lives in Millbrae.