Maryam Azizadah, an assistant clinical research coordinator working on oncology trials, said she has long seen the effects of understaffing at the UC – from being unable to book mental health appointments during her undergraduate education at UC Riverside to seeing her sister having visits pushed back while being treated for cancer at UCLA.

Azizadah, who participated as an alternate bargainer, said UPTE-CWA 9119 members were not offered the chance to speak to any University officials capable of making changes.

“The University is labeling us as lazy, that we always wanted to go on strike – but really, we have seen so much suffering from the people we’re trying to provide services to,” she said. “That was the last straw.”

(Anna Dai-Liu/Daily Bruin senior staff)