With the support of its patient care and service worker members, the bargaining team for AFSCME Local Union 3299 served the University of California on Friday with notice that it will call a two-day strike on June 4 and 5, citing the inability to come to an agreement regarding worker wages at the bargaining table.
Union officials said unless a satisfactory agreement can be reached regarding worker wages, the strike will not be called off.
The strike, on which workers voted throughout the past week, was supported by roughly 96.9 percent of voting patient care workers and 97.5 percent of voting service workers. It will put approximately 20,000 UC workers on picket lines across the state.
Of these workers, nearly 5,425 are UCLA employees, with approximately 3,200 patient care and technical workers and 2,225 service employees.
The workers perform a variety of jobs, from operating medical technology at UC medical centers to custodial work and cafeteria services in both hospitals and on-campus housing.
As a result of the diversity of campus and hospital needs, each university in the system was made responsible by the UC for creating and implementing their individual contingency plans.
With regards to the UCLA medical system, which employs most of the 3,200 patient care and technical workers, this will include altering delivery and maintenance schedules and having managers, supervisors and contract employees provide additional support in critical areas.
“Hospital administrators have been making contingency plans and will review the situation to ensure that patient care can continue at the highest level,” said Roxanne Moster, director of UCLA Health Sciences media relations.
“UCLA Medical Center is committed to providing our patients with excellent care and services regardless of a planned strike,” she added.
The effects of the strike will be felt by students as well, as the absence of service employees will force the need for such contingency actions as reduced dining hall menu options and the increased use of disposable utensils.
“The intent of the university is to minimize any inconvenience and disruption (as a result of the strike),” said Phil Hampton, a university spokesman.
In addition, schedules for such services as custodial work, shuttle bus transportation and maintenance will need to be altered to minimize the effects of the strike, he added.
Though contingency plans for the strike are left to individual campuses, negotiations with the union are conducted by the UC itself.
These negotiations, which had been ongoing for the past 10 months, were unable to result in an agreement between the UC and the union, which led to last week’s strike vote among union members.
At the heart of that vote, and the ensuing strike, is the issue of wages of the service worker and patient care and technical worker whom, the union claims, earn 25 percent less than workers performing similar functions at community colleges and other hospitals.
The union believes that these low wages cause retention and recruitment issues in patient care facilities and are low enough for some service workers to qualify for public assistance and work multiple jobs.
“We really want the university to move on these issues. No one wants to strike, but we are ready, and we will (if no decision is reached),” said Lakesha Harrison, president of AFSCME Local 3299.
However, the UC officials, while recognizing some lags in its compensation structure, said they believe it has already offered the union a fair wage increase at the bargaining table.
“Patient care and technical workers were offered wage increases in first year alone of between 4 and 16 percent, bringing their wages to market competitive levels,” said Nicole Savickas, a spokeswoman for the UC Office of the President.
“Some wages are already at market competitive levels, but because the old contract is expired, there are some lags in market competitive wages,” she added.
Both parties have indicated their desire to come to an amicable agreement in the interim period before the strike to reach a contract agreement.
“We are ready to talk (to the university) anytime,” Harrison said.
Separate agreements, however, will have to be reached by the UC with patient care workers and service workers. Though they are members of the same union, these groups operate individual bargain teams.