UC San Diego health care, research and technical workers went on strike Tuesday over what they call unfair labor practices by the University of California.
The union, University Professional and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119, said the university imposed higher health care premiums during contract negotiations. UC also refused to bargain over pay scales of some workers who’ve joined the union in recent years, according to the union.
“It’s a divide-and-conquer tactic,” said Samantha Warsh, a pediatric registered dietician who works at the UC San Diego Eating Disorders Center. "The university has the obligation to negotiate in good faith with all of our workers."
A spokesperson from the University of California Office of the President wrote in an email that those allegations are unsubstantiated.
“Filing a ULP does not mean there has been a finding of wrongdoing by the university,” spokesperson Heather Hansen wrote. “And we disagree wholeheartedly with their claims.”
Union leaders have also said the university is facing a staffing crisis.
“Their unfair labor practices are only going to continue to make that worse by refusing to bargain with a lot of our mental health clinicians who joined our union recently,” Warsh said.
Randall Turner works in IT. He’s usually at the East Campus Medical Center in the College Area, but he said he has to step in when other locations are short-staffed.
“Sometimes they say, ‘Hey, we need you to go to a different site because we don't have enough techs there currently right now,’ he said. “I've been in the Jacobs (Medical Center), I've been to Hillcrest, and we've been there for months.”
The university said its turnover rate is below the national average and its headcount has increased since 2022.
Workers from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which also represents UC workers, went on strike in solidarity Tuesday. That union has been negotiating a contract for more than a year.
The university said it’s working through the impasse with UPTE and meeting with AFSCME in the coming weeks.
