Kelsey Gripenstraw
Staff Writer
The University of California service worker strike scheduled for March 3 to 7 has been canceled due to a tentative four-year contract agreement between the University and AFSCME 3299, the largest union part of the UC, which represents over 22,000 service and patient care technical workers.
Although members of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 3299 recently scheduled the strike after an almost unanimous vote, UC’s 8,300 service workers and 13,000 patient care technical workers announced several days ago that they will work as usual this week.
The potential settlement preventing the strike will presumably increase wages 13.5 percent over four years and promise affordable healthcare benefits to current employees and retirees. The agreement also details new staffing protections.
“While this proposed settlement includes compromise on both sides, it honors the contributions that career service workers make to this institution, as well as UC’s responsibility to build ladders to the middle class,” said UC Service Worker and AFSCME 3299 President Kathryn Lybarger in an AFSCME press release. “Our members are deeply grateful to the thousands of students, faculty, colleagues, elected officials, and everyday taxpayers who have stood with us, and stood for the principles of fairness and dignity that bind every member of the UC community.”
AFSCME 3299 has emphasized that this agreement is tentative and that they are still bargaining with the University. They do, however, seem confident that the final agreement will satisfy their primary demands.