Nurses working at the University of California Keck Hospital and Norris Cancer Center held a strike last month, protesting a lack of resources and staffing gaps that led to missed meal and rest breaks.
### What to Know
A two-day strike is planned for Monday, November 17, and Tuesday, November 18. Demonstrations will take place from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. PT at multiple UC locations, including:
– UC Berkeley
– UC Davis and UC Davis Medical Center
– UC Riverside
– UC Santa Barbara
– UC Santa Cruz
– UC Irvine and UC Irvine Medical Campus
– UC San Diego (UCSD) and UCSD Hillcrest Medical Center
– UCSD La Jolla Medical Center
– UCLA, UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, and UCLA Santa Monica Hospital
– UCSF Medical Center Parnassus
– UCSF Medical Center Mission Bay
– UCSF Medical Center BCHO
– UC Merced
Amy Fletcher, a researcher at UC Davis and part of the UPTE bargaining team, told *Newsweek* that the solidarity between three unions highlights that they are all facing similar challenges in negotiations with the University of California.
> “It is a symptom, not a bug, of engaging with the University of California,” Fletcher said. “It shows that the university is failing to engage with any of its big unions in a productive manner. It’s really disappointing to see a public institution behave this way—one that has a mission to serve the public and is located in a state that prides itself on respecting workers and labor rights. This is a powerful message and speaks to the systemic nature of the issue.”
This ongoing solidarity comes amid threats from the Trump administration to pull federal funding from the UC system. In September, labor unions—including CNA, AFSCME 3299, and UPTE-CWA—filed a lawsuit against the administration’s plan to cancel hundreds of millions of dollars in research funding to UC due to ideological disagreements.
### The University’s Response
The University of California issued a statement calling the joint strike an attempt to pressure the university into accepting “unreasonable wage and benefit demands” that would “put UC in a financially precarious position and jeopardize its mission of teaching, research, and public service.”
UC added that it has been bargaining in good faith for several months and has offered competitive proposals that include significant wage increases, enhanced health care subsidies, and improved benefits.
> “UC has consistently shown up ready to negotiate, compromise, and implement real improvements that reflect our genuine value for our employees,” the university said. “Despite these efforts, union leaders have refused to engage constructively and have chosen disruptive strike activity that will not move negotiations forward.”
Negotiations have been ongoing for 17 months between UC and UPTE, and 21 months between UC and AFSCME.
For AFSCME, the university’s approach during negotiations has felt like a “take it or leave it” stance. Liz Perlman, AFSCME Local 3299 Executive Director, described the situation as one that results in perpetual pay cuts, forcing employees to make tough choices between medication and food.
> “We’re worth what we’re asking for because we need it,” Perlman said. “Our families deserve to have a roof over our heads. Our kids do better in school—they’re more likely to graduate high school—if we have stable housing. These are supported by studies. If UC is the engine of economic mobility it prides itself on, with record numbers of first-generation kids going to college, those are our kids. Help us get them to UC.”
### Union Perspectives
Amy Fletcher shared further insights on the union’s position:
> “Even if people seeing this don’t work for the University of California, UPTE workers—and UC in particular—impact every Californian and, frankly, people all over the world. We have researchers focused on pediatric cancer treatments and others who contributed to the COVID vaccine. We provide cutting-edge healthcare that draws patients from across the globe. We offer a world-class education. So, even if you are not one of our 80,000 workers, these issues affect you in many ways.”
Fletcher also criticized UC’s response to union proposals, noting that UPTE has yet to receive meaningful engagement from the university regarding why certain proposals are unacceptable or how to find compromises.
> “Some of the proposals we’ve made are cost-neutral to them,” she said, citing reclassification to address career advancement and extending unpaid parental leave. “It’s hard to understand why the university would reject these when they would greatly benefit our members and, by extension, the university itself.”
### What Happens Next
The UC system has stated it will remain open despite potential disruptions from the strikes and affirmed its commitment to reaching fair agreements that “reward employees and sustain its mission.”
Union leaders have not announced any upcoming bargaining sessions.
The strike is scheduled for November 17 and 18.
### Official Statements
The University of California issued the following statement regarding UPTE’s decision to strike:
> “This strike is both unnecessary and irresponsible, particularly after UC made every effort over 17 months of bargaining and three weeks of intensive mediation to reach a fair and competitive agreement. UC remains committed to reaching a balanced, sustainable contract that rewards employees while preserving the University’s ability to deliver on its mission of teaching, research, and public service. The University urges UPTE’s leaders to return to the bargaining table and engage constructively rather than staging costly and disruptive demonstrations.”
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This strike highlights ongoing tensions between the University of California system and its employees over wages, benefits, working conditions, and broader concerns impacting staff and the communities they serve. As negotiations continue, the situation remains a critical issue for California’s public higher education and healthcare systems.
https://www.newsweek.com/nurses-solidarity-university-of-california-labor-union-strike-access-health-11013468
