How UC’s priorities on graduate student strike are all wrong

By Delany Moreno| SF Chronicle | June 12, 2024

Regarding “Court halts walkout by UC graduate student-workers, citing no-strike clause in contract” (California, SFChronicle.com, June 7):  As a student who attends UC Berkeley, it is frustrating seeing the amount of time and money being spent trying to bring a halt to the strike when there are larger issues — especially school funding. 

Graduate student workers are striking because many of them want the disciplinary charges from pro-Palestinian protests dropped. The University of California claims its priority throughout this strike is to not disrupt the students during final exam season. 

However, I think it is more harmful to try and stop the strike. Instead, UC should meet the demands of student workers and drop the charges. 

During my time at Berkeley, I have experienced housing insecurity due to scarce and unaffordable university housing, studied in run-down buildings and spoken to overworked graduate student instructors. 

The University of California should refocus its financial priorities on investments that will benefit its students instead of punishing them for wanting better.