Edhat Staff
More than 20,000 University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) union members walked off the job on May 1 at University of California (UC) campuses.
The union represents healthcare, research, and technical workers who are protesting Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) claiming the UC’s systemwide hiring freeze is unlawful.
The strike, which spanned every campus, medical center, and key laboratories, was triggered by UC’s March 19 announcement of a freeze without prior notice or an opportunity to bargain, an action that UPTE claims violates labor law and exacerbates current staffing shortages across the UC system.
As part of the strike, workers were joined by thousands of other union workers at May Day rallies. At UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) the UPTE workers were joined by members of the AFSCME 3299 union that represents more than 37,000 service workers, patient care technical workers, and skilled craft workers UC-wide.
At the UCSB rally frontline workers stated they will not stand by while UC jeopardizes public services, students, patients, jobs, and lives by refusing to prioritize the public over profits.
“Any healthcare worker will tell you that safe staffing saves lives. When patients can access timely care, it means shorter stays in the hospital, lower rates of readmission, and better health outcomes. The University of California’s hiring freeze flies in the face of decades of evidence-based care standards and only serves to pour gasoline on the crisis of staffing that is already burning out workers and undermining care, research, and education at UC. We should expect so much better from a wealthy, well-resourced public institution,” said Jeanna Harris, Nurse Case Manager at UCLA.
This was the fourth strike organized by workers to highlight the worsening staffing crisis. UPTE states that despite repeated warnings, UC leadership has downplayed the severity of the crisis—even as internal reports acknowledge the harm caused by chronic understaffing. In 2023, UC CFO Nathan Brostrom told the Board of Regents that vacancy rates had tripled since before the pandemic, noting, “that is not a good thing for the staff experience, faculty experience or student experience.” UPTE research shows a growing worker exodus, with over 60% of represented employees having been on the job less than five years.
“Our message to UC’s administration and the new incoming president is simple,” said Dan Russell, UPTE President and a Business Technical Support Analyst at UC Berkeley. “We won’t stand by while patients wait longer, students suffer, and research slows. Now is not the time for California to cower to threats of funding cuts. If UC doesn’t reverse course, workers are prepared to do whatever it takes to ensure UC ends the hiring freeze and invests in the staffing necessary for Californians to receive the highest quality of healthcare, research and educational support.”
In a public statement, UC has stated they have consistently come to the table in good faith in an effort to collaborate with AFSCME and UPTE to negotiate mutually beneficial contracts.
“We are disappointed by the union’s continued choice of striking as a negotiation tactic. These strikes cost union members a full day of pay, and they cost the University system millions of dollars. This is especially harmful considering the current economic and fiscal uncertainty in higher education and nationally. We are hopeful for meaningful progress with both unions so that we can turn our attention to the state and federal funding concerns,” UC stated.
The statement went on to explain that UC instituted a hiring freeze following financial uncertainties, joining many higher education institutions nationwide taking similar measures. The hiring freeze applies to future hires only; it does not impact the employment status of current UC employees. Each UC location is implementing the freeze based on its specific needs, financial situation and pre-existing protocols.
“The University has informed stakeholders, including AFSCME and UPTE, that the hiring freeze doesn’t alter commitments under collective bargaining agreements or established policies. UC officials have told AFSCME and UPTE they’re willing to discuss any identified negotiable impacts, although the UC believes the parties’ collective bargaining agreements already cover these effects. The unions have not responded to UC’s offers to meet,” UC stated.
UPTE has agreed to return to the bargaining table on Thursday, May 8, and Friday, May 9, 2025, providing UC with the opportunity to present meaningful responses to the many proposals workers have presented to address the staffing crisis.
Related Articles
University of California Announces Hiring Freeze Amid Financial Strain
Comments
0 Comments deleted by Administrator