Today, nearly 48,000 researchers, teaching aides, and other staff throughout the University of California system are on strike. With final exams only weeks away, the strike may shut down some classes and laboratories.
The university workers are being represented by the United Auto Workers union (UAW). The strike is happening at all 10 UC campuses. This was approved by almost all UAW members, with only two percent voting against the strike.
According to UAW spokespeople, the main goal of the strike is to provide workers a living wage and access to affordable housing. They added that those employed by the UC system often earn less than $24,000 a year. As a result, the union says workers frequently struggle to pay rent and remain employed in academia.
KALW spoke with UAW activist Kenzo Esquivel, who was at the strike. In addition to increased pay, Esquivel says the strike also aims to create child care benefits for student-parents. Organizers also want to remove non-residential supplemental tuition, a fee that makes attending school more difficult and expensive for international students.
On its website, the University of California stated “The UC will continue to negotiate in good faith with the union and is committed to working collaboratively with the UAW to find solutions to outstanding issues."
Negotiations are still underway.
