Peter Racioppo, a graduate student worker in the rank-and-file caucus of United Auto Workers 4811, said he showed up to the the AFSCME Local 3299 strike because he feels UAW and AFSCME have shared interests. Racioppo said the unions across the UC need to support each other to strengthen their collective power.

“It’s in the interest of the UC to divide the workers up to different unions, but it’s really not in our interest,” he said. “If all of the unions went out at the same time … it would completely shut the University down.”