Dozens of UC Santa Barbara employees joined the picket lines on April 1 as part of a larger University of California-wide strike, marking the third major labor action in four months. Nearly 60,000 UC workers, including health-care professionals, researchers, and service employees, are protesting alleged unfair bargaining practices by the university system.
The strike is led by UPTE-CWA 9119, a union representing UC Professional and Technical Employees, and is supported by AFSCME Local 3299, the largest UC worker union in what's being called a "solidarity strike." (AFSCME stands for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.)
"Unfortunately, UC has continued its pattern of unlawful behavior," said Michael Benaron, a UPTE member and physician assistant at UCSB. "We need UC to get serious at the bargaining table about addressing the obstacles to quality health care, research, and education for patients and students."