UC Student-Workers Union files complaint against University

A union representing University of California teaching assistants and other academic student workers filed a complaint Thursday against UC management, claiming the University failed to negotiate with the union on working conditions.

The UC Student-Workers Union, UAW Local 2865, which filed the complaint, has been in labor talks with the UC for over half a year, said Brian Melone, a UC Santa Cruz doctoral student and member of the union.

Melone said the union has been bargaining for more than six months to renew its contract with the UC. Melone said the main focus of the union’s complaints is class size. He said large class sizes have worsened working conditions for union members, who often have to grade a large amount of students’ work.

“We have been seeing fewer TA’s, a larger class size, a (smaller) possibility for one-on-one instruction,” Melone said. “It’s hard to give (students) the attention they need when we have 60 students we are responsible for.”

When asked for comment, UC spokesman Steve Montiel said the University is not planning to respond to the complaint.

The UC issued an update on its collective bargaining process with the union last December. According to the update, the UC proposed a 3 percent wage increase per year for three years. It also proposed working with the union to provide gender-neutral bathrooms, another of the union’s concerns. The UC said the union’s demand for “competitive wages” are vague, making it difficult to reach an agreement.

In November, the student workers union went on a sympathy strike with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees 3299, a union that has also been in labor talks with the University.

Compiled by Jeong Park, Bruin contributor.