STATEMENT: AFSCME 3299 Supports UAW Represented UC Student Workers and Researchers 36,000 UAW Represented UC Workers Have voted to Strike on November 14th

Oakland, CA — Last week, over 36,000 UC Student-Workers Union UAW 2865, UAW Local 5810, and Student Researchers United-UAW members voted to strike in support of their demands for for a fair contract with the University of California.

In response, AFSCME Local 3299, which represents more than 30,000 service and patient care workers across 10 campuses and medical centers at the University of California, has issued the following statement:

“Last week, students and academic workers voted, overwhelmingly, to go on strike and will do so on Nov. 14, unless the University of California decides to bargain in good faith. Unfortunately, the poor working conditions, inadequate pay and benefits, and disrespect shown by university management towards hard-working UAW members have brought us to this point.

The University of California has a history of hiding behind constitutional autonomy in order to circumvent state and local labor laws and other guardrails in place to ensure they fairly compensate their employees and treat them with dignity and respect.

We stand in solidarity with the members of UC Student-Workers Union UAW 2865, UAW Local 5810, and Student Researchers United-UAW and pledge to support them in their efforts to secure living wages that will allow them to afford to live near the campuses and medical centers where they work, child care subsidies and to hold UC accountable for their repeated labor law violations.”

AFSCME Local 3299 is the University of California’s largest employee union, representing more than 30,000 Service and Patient Care Technical workers at UC’s 10 campuses, 5 medical centers, numerous clinics, research laboratories, and UC Hastings College of Law.

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