The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the union representing more than 42,000 University of California workers, plans to begin an open-ended strike May 14, according to an April 15 union news release shared with Becker’s.
AFSCME Local 3299 said the action would be the first such strike across the University of California system and would affect workers at all 10 campuses, five medical centers, clinics and research facilities statewide.
The union represents service and patient care technical workers, including custodians, food service workers, medical assistants and respiratory therapists. Contracts for the workers expired in 2024, and the union said negotiations have continued for nearly two years. Union members have held multiple, limited-duration strikes during the current contract dispute.
AFSCME said the most recent strike is due to its allegations that the university refused to bargain over housing assistance and unlawfully implemented changes affecting healthcare costs.
“For more than two years, AFSCME 3299 has worked to negotiate successor agreements that address the acute affordability crisis facing the university’s frontline service and patient care workforce,” Local 3299 President Michael Avant said in a statement.
University of California leaders dispute those claims.
Heather Hansen, senior director of labor communications, external relations and communications for the University of California Office of the President, told Becker’s in a statement that the system has made “significant progress” in negotiations, increasing its proposal from roughly 25% total pay growth to 32.3%, adding up to a $1,000 ratification bonus and strengthening year-over-year wage increases.
She said the university has also proposed longevity pay for long-serving employees and new caps and offsets to help manage rising healthcare costs.
She added that the parties have reached agreement on multiple contract provisions and continue to meet regularly as negotiations move forward.
“Given the progress at the table, an open-ended strike is unnecessary and risks disruption for patients, students and campus operations,” Ms. Hansen said, adding that the university “categorically” disagrees with the union’s allegations.
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