Two UC unions called on their members to strike May 1 for the fourth time this academic year.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 – which represents service, patient care and skilled craft workers – said in a press release that it is striking in response to the UC’s systemwide hiring freeze. The University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119 – which represents researchers and technical workers – will also strike May 1 in response to the hiring freeze, according to its website.

The two unions went on strike most recently April 1 but also went on strike in February and November, leading to limited dining, cleaning and mail services. 

[Related: Dining services limited as UPTE-CWA 9119, AFSCME Local 3299 strike]

AFSCME Local 3299 and UPTE-CWA 9119 have yet to reach a contract agreement with the UC, despite beginning negotiations in January and June 2024, respectively.

All contracts for members of UPTE-CWA 9119 expired in October, according to the union’s website. AFSCME Local 3299 said in the press release that contracts for the union’s patient care unit expired in July 2024, while those for service workers expired in October 2024. 

AFSCME Local 3299’s November, February and April strikes led to the closure of all dining halls besides De Neve Residential Restaurant, Feast at Rieber and Epicuria at Covel, which offered to-go options.

UC President Michael Drake announced March 19 that the University would implement a hiring freeze in response to threats to its federal and state budget. However, AFSCME Local 3299 alleged in an unfair labor practice charge filed April 7 that the UC did not allow the union to bargain over the freeze, which it claimed has exacerbated a pre-existing “short staffing crisis.”

[Related: UC implements systemwide hiring freeze following federal, state threats to budget]

AFSCME Local 3299 added in the ULP charge that the University has provided members with “incomplete” vacancy information and has failed to respond to follow-up requests. However, UC Office of the President spokesperson Heather Hansen said in a March 6 statement to the Daily Bruin that the University provided the union with staffing and turnover information Feb. 14.

“Despite requesting vacancy information for nearly two years, filing an unfair labor practice charge, and then holding an unfair labor practice strike, AFSCME’s complaints have fallen on deaf ears,” the union’s ULP charge said. “As described below, instead of engaging in good faith with AFSCME on its concerns over staffing ratios and unsustainable workloads, the University has doubled down on its unlawful conduct.”

UPTE-CWA 9119 said on its website that the hiring freeze will exacerbate short staffing. The union also alleged on its website that the University “explicitly refused” to undo the hiring freeze, making the union unable to bargain. 

“UPTE filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge over the University’s imposition of the hiring freeze, which would further undermine patient care, research, and education across the state,” the website said. “UC knows what it has to do to avoid further strikes – end its unfair labor practices and bargain in good faith with all UPTE members over our proposals to end the recruitment and retention crisis.”