This post was updated Nov. 13 at 1:25 a.m.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 will strike against the UC on Nov. 20 and 21.

The union, which represents patient care and service workers across the UC, authorized a strike with 99% support from voters Oct. 31. The strike authorization vote followed AFSCME Local 3299’s unfair labor charge against the University, which claimed the UC approached contract bargaining in bad faith.

“By refusing to bargain in good faith, the University has made it clear that it does not value the frontline workers who clean its facilities, serve students food, and treat patients,” AFSCME Local 3229 President Michael Avant said in a press release. “If the UC refuses to meet its most basic legal responsibilities to employees, we will hold them accountable by exercising our legal right to strike.”

[Related: UC service, patient care workers under AFSCME Local 3299 vote to strike]

The strike will impact over 37,000 workers and occur across UC campuses and medical centers, according to the press release. The strike coincides with another called by UPTE-CWA 9119 – which represents technical and research workers – for the same dates at UC San Francisco.

In a Nov. 1 email, Director of Mail, Document and Distribution Services David Aberbuch said the strike could also impact UCLA’s ability to receive mail if delivery drivers from companies including FedEx and UPS refuse to cross picket lines.

Service worker contracts for AFSCME Local 3299 expired Oct. 31 for service workers – including at UCLA dining halls. Patient care technical workers previously also saw their contract expire July 31, with neither group reaching an agreement with the University over a renewal. 

UCLA Media Relations did not immediately comment on what is being done to mitigate the impact of the strike at UCLA.

AFSCME Local 3299 had previously had a history of calling for systemwide strikes in response to unfair labor practice charges, including calling for six strikes in two years in 2018 and 2019. The union also picketed at locations including outside Bruin Plate Oct. 9 to demand increased pay.

[Related: AFSCME Local 3299, nurses picket to demand higher wages, better working conditions]

In an emailed statement, UC Office of the President spokesperson Heather Hansen said the strike could have a negative impact on patient care. She added that the University believes it acted in good faith, including by offering a pay raise equivalent to 26% across a proposed five-year contract.

“AFSCME’s strike notice is not a surprise, but it is premature and is a disheartening development, nonetheless,” she said in the statement. “If access to the critical services and procedures that UC Health’s locations deliver is disrupted, care could be jeopardized for Californians, especially those who are the most vulnerable.”