Omar Opeyany
Contributing Writer
As of Oct. 30, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 voted overwhelmingly to go on strike with 99 percent of its members voting in approval. The strike will be state-wide on Nov. 20 and 21, across all University of California (UC) campuses and five medical centers. This includes UC Santa Barbara, where AFSCME workers will be on strike and picketing for both days at Storke Tower. The union also filed for an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) charge with California’s Public Employment Relation Board, arguing that the UCs allegedly engaged in illegal bad faith bargaining.
AFSCME represents almost 35,000 workers across the UC system, specifically service workers, patient care technical workers, research laboratories workers, and workers at the UC Law of San Francisco. AFSCME and the UCs reached an impasse after negotiations regarding a contract that has now expired for both service and patient care workers under the union. According to the Unfair Labor Practice (ULP), the union alleges that the UC stalled talks by switching chief negotiators without notice and sending negotiators who cannot bargain on the behalf of the UC. Among the union’s key demands are wage increases, initiatives to address the housing crisis for workers, and halting the rise of healthcare costs.
According to a report by AFSCME, the strain on its members has worsened due to stagnant wages, increase in healthcare costs, and a sharp rise in housing costs since the COVID-19 pandemic. The report notes that these conditions disproportionately impact workers of color, who not only compose most of the service and patient care workforce, but they are also the lowest paid group of workers across all UCs. According to the report, 30 percent of all service and patient care workers earn less than $25 with two-thirds of them identifying as Latinx. Additionally, almost 95 percent of service workers and 70 percent of patient care workers cannot afford to rent a one-bedroom rental near their workplace. “UC’s unlawful actions hurt both the workers it routinely praised as ‘heroes’ during the pandemic, and the students and patients we are here to serve,” stated Local 3299’s ULP Committee Chair Monica Martinez in a press release.
The UC denied allegations of bargaining in bad faith and stated it is working towards wage increases and offsetting health care premium, but hasn’t addressed the rising costs of living on or near UC campuses for AFSCME members in their statement.
The strike is scheduled to commence at 12 a.m. on Nov. 20 and conclude at the same time on Nov. 21. Picket lines will be in place across all UC campuses from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. AFSCME 3299 will provide ongoing updates regarding the strike and negotiation progress on its official website. Students and faculty at UCSB can also follow the UCSB chapter’s Instagram page, @UCSB_AFSCME3299, for additional information.