UC San Diego union workers join statewide strike Monday

Hundreds of UC San Diego union workers joined the picket line Monday, becoming the latest group to participate in UAW Local 4811 strikes on several University of California campuses.

UAW Local 4811, which represents 48,000 union members systemwide, has 8,000 members at UC San Diego.

The union is made up of student employees, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and more, and they are striking in response to allegations of unfair labor practices (ULP).

The union believes the UC system has violated their rights by not allowing them to peacefully protest on campus in recent months.

This follows the dismantling of Gaza solidarity encampments on University of California campuses, including the University of San Diego, on May 6.

Rallies have already taken place at UC Santa Cruz, UC Los Angeles and UC Davis. On Monday, UC San Diego, UC Santa Barbara and UC Irvine joined the statewide strike.

However, UC San Diego said the union strike violated the no-strike clause in their contract. The university provided a statement regarding the situation:

As stated in documents filed by the University of California with the state Public Employment Relations Board, our position is that the UAW is engaging in an illegal strike in violation of the mutually agreed upon no-strike provisions of the contract in due to issues that have no impact on employment at UC. While UC San Diego is taking steps possible to minimize impacts on continuity of research and learning, this illegal strike harms our students by disrupting typical course instruction, assignment grading and other learning activities during a critical time of year when students are working diligently. prepare for finals and complete final projects.

University of California San Diego

Joyce Chan, a neuroscience postdoctoral fellow at UC San Diego and a member of UAW 4811, expressed concerns about campus safety.

“When the university brings in hundreds of cops, riot gear, and the sheriffs have snipers stationed on top of the university buildings, to me, that doesn’t make me feel safe,” he said. Chan said.

Chan said the strike would end if UC officials could come to the table and negotiate over alleged unfair labor practices. The union is demanding that the misconduct and suspension charges against those arrested on May 6 be dropped.

Gweneviere Frank, chief elected steward of UAW 4811, said, “At the end of the day, all of these workers who were arrested, suspended, etc. must be granted amnesty – this is the only way we can move forward.