This post was updated April 4 at 12:45 a.m.

Two unions struck on campus Tuesday, limiting student access to dining, cleaning and mail services.

The University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119 – which represents researchers and technical workers – voted to strike across the UC in response to the University’s alleged unfair labor practices and bad-faith bargaining. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 – which represents patient care, service and skilled craft workers – also called on its members to strike in solidarity with UPTE-CWA 9119.

[Related: UPTE-CWA 9119, AFSCME Local 3299 to strike April 1 for 3rd time in academic year]

All dining options on the Hill – except for De Neve Residential Restaurant, Epicuria at Covel, Feast at Rieber and food trucks – closed in response to labor shortages caused by the strike.

The strike was the two unions’ third within the academic year. Most recently, both unions struck in late February in response to alleged unfair labor practices.

[Related: AFSCME Local 3299, UPTE-CWA 9119 march across UCLA campus, disrupting dining halls]

Both AFSCME Local 3299 and UPTE-CWA 9119 have yet to reach a contract agreement with the UC, despite beginning negotiations in January 2024 and June 2024, respectively. Members of UPTE-CWA 9119 have alleged that the UC has failed to address an ongoing vacancy crisis and refused to provide data regarding staffing shortages.

Ursula Quinn, vice president of UPTE-CWA 9119 and an occupational therapist at UCLA Health, said patients in crisis often must come into the psychiatric hospital where she works due to staff vacancies at outpatient programs, such as UCLA’s Counseling and Psychological Services.

“What I’ve often seen is not just the general population of adult patients coming in a crisis because they fail to be able to get timely care from their outpatient providers, but also students coming in in a mental health crisis because of the difficulty in accessing health care on a timely basis through CAPS,” she said.

Alexis Alvarado, a clinical research coordinator at UCLA Health and member of UPTE-CWA 9119, said she also chose to strike because of the staffing shortages.

“A big reason we’re here today is also to advocate, not only for ourselves but for our patients,” Alvarado said. “Patients have called us completely distraught with the fact that they don’t know what’s going on with their treatment. They don’t know what’s going on with their care because it’s changed hands so many times.”

UPTE-CWA 9119 also filed a new unfair labor practice charge March 17, alleging that the UC has sought to separate members from the union by creating new job classifications.

However, UC Office of the President spokesperson Heather Hansen said in an emailed statement that the University is not experiencing a staffing crisis. She added that the University believes AFSCME Local 3299 and UPTE-CWA 9119 have both filed unfair labor practice charges with unsubstantiated allegations.

“Filing a ULP does not mean there has been a finding of wrongdoing by the university,” she said in the statement. “We disagree wholeheartedly with their claims.”

AFSCME Local 3299 began picketing around 6 a.m. on campus and in front of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center. Union members marched to Chancellor Julio Frenk’s university residence around 8 a.m., chanting “Julio, escucha” – Spanish for “Julio, listen” – with bullhorns and megaphones.

Some students also participated in rallies organized by the Student Labor Advocacy Project and joined the picket line around 8:30 a.m.

Members of both unions marched on campus, Charles E. Young Drive South and outside the medical center throughout the day, holding signs that said “on strike.” AFSCME Local 3299 picketers also entered the Hill around 10:30 a.m., marching through the second and third floors of Covel Commons while chanting with drums and noisemakers.

The picketers left the building after around 10 minutes, and both unions dispersed for the day around 2 p.m.

Jacob Niles Creer, a clinical equipment specialist and member of the AFSCME Local 3299 bargaining team, said he chose to strike to show solidarity with UPTE-CWA 9119. Both unions have experienced the UC’s “illegal” decision to increase the cost of healthcare premiums, he added.

“An injury to one is an injury to all,” he said. “Regardless of if you’re in UPTE, regardless of if you’re in AFSCME Local 3299 – it’s important that we are here to show UC that we’re serious and we mean business.”

[Related: Long commutes, short-staffed – ‘We want to live,’ union leaders demand from UC]

Betty Yee, a former California state controller and a 2026 California gubernatorial candidate, said during a speech outside UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center that she attended the strike to show solidarity with the unions. She added that, if elected governor, she would encourage the UC to bargain with their unions in good faith.

“It’s about the people you care for,” she said. “It’s about your own families.”

Some students reported experiencing lengthened wait times at open dining halls on the Hill. Around 7:10 p.m., the line at Feast at Rieber had over 80 people in it, while lines in front of food trucks on the Hill continued to grow.

Crystal Liu, a first-year linguistics and computer science student, said she supports the unions’ demands despite the disruptions the strike caused.

“I was planning to go to Rende, but that was closed, so I went to De Neve and got takeout,” Liu said. “Although the situation is a little inconvenient, I support the unions’ cause and their fight for better working conditions.”

Contributing reports by Caitlin Brockenbrow, Anthony Folsom II, Anna Gu, Maggie Konecky, Alexis Muchnik, Josephine Murphy, Sophia Pu, Prannay Veerabahu, Dylan Winward, Patrick Woodham, Danielle Workman and Evelin Zaragoza Meza, Daily Bruin staff.