UC campuses brace for massive strike by student workers
DAVIS — A potentially massive strike looms over University of California campuses.
Thousands of student workers say they will hit the picket line if negations between the UC system and UAW 2865 fall through.
Student employees and union members spent their Sunday creating signs while ironing out details on the potential strike beginning Monday morning.
"Labs are going to be empty; classes are going to be empty," said Ximena Anleu Gil, a teacher's assistant and graduate student Researcher.
UC is in talks with four bargaining units: postdoctoral scholars, academic researchers, academic student employees, and graduate student researchers.
Some demands include fair pay, a respectful work environment, housing, and international student fees.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the University of California Office of the President said,
"The primary goal in these negotiations is achieving multiyear agreements that recognize these employees' important and highly valued contributions to the University's teaching and research mission with fair pay, quality health and family-friendly benefits, and a supportive and respectful work environment."
Anleu Gil says about 6,000 UC Davis student workers will picket for the removal of international student fees, transportation subsidies, workplace accessibility, and cost-of-living issues.
From teacher's assistants to graduate student researchers, UAW 2865 anticipates nearly 48,000 workers will strike.
"It sucks that we're not going to have our things graded in like a timely manner, but at the end of the day, I completely support the strike. I understand why they're doing it," said Ben Snow, a student.
Bailey Sokol, also a student, agrees.
"I feel like if they're grading everything and hosting these labs and these discussions, they deserve more," she said.
UC said negotiations are progressing, and many tentative agreements have been reached on key issues such as a respectful work environment and health and safety matters.
Still, issues of pay and housing are critical for student employees like Anleu Gil.
She claims 90 percent of graduate students direct more than 30 percent of their income to merely rent.
With concerns over rent burden, cost of living, and inflation, can union members afford to strike?
"It's a sacrifice many of us are making," Anleu Gil said.
