Everyone Suffers When UC Workers Suffer from Unfair Labor Practices

By: Anna Chan

On Wednesday, November 20 and Thursday, November 21, UC workers went on strike due to unfair labor practices. This includes 4,000 UCSF employees represented by the UPTE union, with a union representative stating that all 20,000 UPTE workers throughout California will hold similar strikes if UC doesn’t negotiate. Additionally, AFSCME Local 3299 workers are also striking on the same days, which includes 37,000 employees at every UC campus. All together, these workers include custodians, gardeners, parking attendants, hospital technicians and medical workers. These workers are understaffed, underpaid, and overworked. Meanwhile, the UC system benefits from multi-billion dollar endowments and major profit.  Just this year, UC chancellors received a near 30% raise, making their salaries between $700,000 to $1.2 million. 

Our UC workers deserve better. As a UC Berkeley student, I see firsthand the impact these workers have for our community. They are the backbone of our institutions and deserve to be treated as such! For too long, UC has not treated their workers fairly or valued their frontline workers. The UC is also very financially supported, with the largest budget in the California educational system. Why is it so normalized to invest in sports teams and invest pensions into Blackstone but not our workers? Why can UC consistently raise tuition costs but cut programs for students? 

It’s very disheartening for me to see UC fail the people who make up the world renowned institution. Real people work and learn in this system – these are the people who allow these establishments to keep running. When UC workers suffer, students do too. Our quality of education and service lowers when our workers are burnt out and unable to keep up with the rising costs of living.  The UC system needs to do better for our future.