Members of the University Professional and Technical Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees unions will hold a statewide strike May 1 across University of California campuses, hospitals and laboratories, including Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Six things to know:
1. The strike involves 19,201 UPTE-represented healthcare, research and technical employees and 36,683 AFSCME-represented university service and patient care workers.
2. UPTE-represented workers include physician assistants, optometrists, pharmacists, case managers, rehabilitation specialists, mental health clinicians, clinical lab scientists, staff research associates, IT workers and other professionals. AFSCME-represented workers include those in custodial services, food preparation, building maintenance and groundskeeping, as well as respiratory therapists, pharmacy technicians and other technical staff.
3. Union members say the strike is in response to the university’s March hiring freeze, which they characterize as “abrupt, unilateral and unlawful.” They also contend the hiring freeze has worsened staffing issues that affect patient care, research productivity and student services.
4. In a statement shared with Becker’s, the university said it has “consistently come to the table in good faith in an effort to collaborate with AFSCME and UPTE to negotiate mutually beneficial contracts.” The statement also noted that the hiring freeze applies solely to future hires, and is being implemented at each location, “based on its specific needs, financial situation and preexisting protocols.” Furthermore, the university said the freeze does not change commitments under collective bargaining agreements or established policies.
5. The university and UPTE are scheduled to resume negotiations on May 8-9, after the union said it had received an improved proposal from the university on job reclassification. The university has offered AFSCME a “last, best and final offer” that includes $25 an hour and a 5% wage increase. Details of that proposal are available here.
6. The May 1 strike follows previous statewide strikes by the unions in February and April. UPTE began bargaining with the university in June 2024, and members’ contracts expired in fall 2024. AFSCME began bargaining with the university in January 2024, and union contracts expired July 31 for patient care workers and Oct. 31 for service workers.
