In protest of what they call “bad-faith bargaining and unfair labor practices” by the university system, thousands of healthcare workers at the University of California began a two-day walkout throughout the state on Wednesday. The strike is in response to UC’s claimed unethical negotiation tactics and the decision to raise healthcare costs for employees, which left workers with no other option but to picket, according to the website of AFSCME Local 3299.
In order to draw attention to the terrible realities of their working conditions and pay, strikers discussed their predicament with the media. A medical staff member at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center was reported by KTLA in a statement as saying, “We endanger our lives every day coming to work and we still come but we don’t make any money. It’s very stressful.” Additionally, the union has accused UC of underpaying employees, forcing some to sleep in their cars or face lengthy commutes because they are unable to afford accommodation close to their places of employment.
Workers also expressed problems regarding patient care. Another healthcare professional, Herbert, told KTLA, “Since COVID, the volume of patients has risen but our staff has not increased.” Workers on the strike lines said that this has resulted in lengthy wait times for patients to be triaged, reaching up to 35 to 45 minutes.
Officials from the University of California have refuted the claims of illegal negotiation tactics. Their “clear willingness to continue to negotiate contract terms,” as reported by KTLA, is demonstrated by their promise of a salary hike to $25 per hour throughout the system by July 1, 2025, which they attribute to the union’s action.
“By refusing to bargain in good faith, the University has made it clear that it does not value the frontline workers,” stated Michael Avant, president of AFSCME Local 3299, in a press statement. The university was accused of participating in unlawful bad-faith negotiations, which was emphasized by the formal complaints that were filed with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). The entire press release statement on the website of AFSCME Local 3299 contains the specifics of these accusations, such as the withholding of important information for bargaining and the unnegotiable increase in healthcare costs.
In order to prevent the picket lines from having an undue impact on patient care, the union has supplied guidance on where employees from particular UC hospitals should report for the strike. Picket lines will start at 6 AM and terminate at 6 PM every day throughout the strike, which is set to commence at midnight on November 20 and end at 11:59 PM on November 21. The AFSCME Local 3299 website has all of this information and more.
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