(1) As Strike Momentum Grows, UPTE Team Makes Last Effort at Settlement
Thursday’s TX/RX strike promises to be part of a historic day of popular action all across UC. The day of actions will be a unified response to UC mismanagement, suggesting ways to address the budget shortfall in a way that supports workers, students and Californian’s needs, instead of the needs of UC executives. For UPTE TX/RX members in particular, the upcoming strike aims to get UC to actually participate in negotiations so that we can settle our contract with fair compensation, benefits, and improved health and safety protections.

Unfortunately, instead of meeting its legal obligations, UC has committed additional violations including threats to implement temporary layoffs and laying off UPTE’s bargainer in Santa Cruz, Dieskau Reed, who is a computer resources specialist in the IT Services Department. UPTE is filing unfair labor practice charges on both of these issues.

In order to give UC negotiators a chance to stop their illegal bargaining tactics, UPTE has agreed to bargain on Tuesday before our strike. While it is unlikely to lead to settlement, we want to explore every possible avenue for productive negotiations.

Please let your UPTE local know which picketing location you will attend and at what time. Picket locations are continually being updated online.

(2) Support for Strike And Faculty/Student Walkout Grows Exponentially
The solidarity shown by students, faculty, and other union members continues to pour in. Strike sanction approval from AFL-CIO labor councils and the Teamsters have been received, allowing construction workers and truckers to honor our picket line. Local endorsements have been made by teachers’ unions and other UC unions. CUE, the union for clerical employees at UC, is in the same bargaining situation as UPTE’s TX/RX and is encouraging its members to join our picket lines.

The strike and walkout has inspired students, staff and faculty at other universities. Union members and students from San Francisco State University and Stanford will be sending contingents to our picket line. The support is now coming in from out-of-state, as solidarity demonstrations will be held at Wayne State University in Detroit and at the University of Arizona!

As of Monday morning, over 2,200 faculty and graduate students have signed onto letters supporting the strike/walkout and the number is growing daily. UPTE members are playing a central role in this escalating movement to defend UC for “people not profits,” as summarized by the slogan, “UC or Yudof.”