UC medical centers could see two-day strike

Five University of California medical centers could be impacted by a two-day strike next week. Last week 13,000 technical workers for the centers voted overwhelmingly in favor of giving the AFSCME bargaining committee the authority to call a strike. According to the union negotiations have reached a stalemate over unsafe working conditions – including staffing ratios. The University has said that the main issue hanging up negotiations is reforming the $24 billion unfunded pension liability. The union has countered that the university continues to provide executives with high salaries and pensions while asking for the workers to sacrifice and accept economic concessions. The union released a study that shows an increase to executive payroll of $100 million since 2009. According to the union the cuts to staffing impacts patient safety as it means less training for technicians and increased stress on employees. If the strike moves forward the university could see staff walking the picket lines at all five medical centers and at student health centers at all 10 campuses across the state.

[Source]: Workers Independent News