This post was updated Nov. 18 at 10:51 p.m.

About 150 protesters representing multiple student organizations marched across campus Tuesday to support striking workers and condemn proposed tuition hikes.

Demonstrators gathered in front of Murphy Hall around 1:10 p.m. to listen to opening speeches and began to march toward Dickson Plaza shortly after. The group carried banners and signs reading, “Defend workers” and “Take back our education.” 

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, which represents around 37,000 patient care, service and skilled craft workers, struck Monday and Tuesday, alleging that the UC has failed to reach a fair contract with its members. The UC Office of the President said in a Friday statement that AFSCME Local 3299 has failed to submit a substantial counterproposal in negotiations since April. 

The strike – and protest – coincided with the beginning of the UC Regents’ three-day meeting at UCLA.

[Related: AFSCME Local 3299 strike 2025]

Organizations represented included the UC Divest Coalition at UCLA, the Student Labor Advocacy Project of UCLA and Anakbayan UCLA – a youth group that campaigns for “democracy with a socialist perspective” in the Philippines, according to its Instagram account. All three did not respond in time to requests for comment. 

A post on the UC Divest Coalition at UCLA’s Instagram also said the protest commemorated International Students Day, which took place Monday. 

Protesters passed out a list of the demands it has for the UC – including divestment from weapons manufacturers, abolition of on-campus policing and investment in students and workers. They also chanted, “From Palestine to Mexico, these border laws have got to go!” and “From Palestine to the Philippines, stop the U.S. war machine!” 

“We understand that our struggles are connected,” a protester said in a speech. “We understand that all of these issues are part of the same corrupt system.” 

Demonstrators listened to a speech from a Students for Justice in Palestine at UCLA  representative in front of Powell Library around 1:25 p.m. before walking toward the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference Center – where the UC Board of Regents is meeting from Tuesday to Thursday. Then, they followed a group of AFSCME Local 3299 members marching through Bruin Plaza and arrived in front of the conference center around 1:40 p.m. 

Steve Lurie, the associate vice chancellor for campus and community safety, said although the protests technically violated UCLA’s Time, Place and Manner restrictions, there were no issues between the protesters and student affairs monitors. UCLA’s TPM policies ban groups from demonstrating in Dickson Plaza without prior approval.

“Each time we asked the groups to either lower the sound or move to a different area, they complied.” Lurie added. “That’s the only intervention we had.” 

Gateway Plaza – where the Luskin Conference Center is located – was partially blocked off with metal fences throughout the day. UCPD officers and security guards gathered on the opposite side of the barriers, while additional guards and police personnel on bicycles followed behind the groups of protesters and union members.

“We have to realize that our shared enemy is the fascists,” a protester said in a speech. “UC Regents, UC administration.” 

The protesters chanted alongside a second group of AFSCME Local 3299 demonstrators that marched up to Gateway Plaza from Westwood Boulevard at 1:35 p.m. Separate groups of people rallied around multiple sides of the Luskin Conference Center around 1:45 p.m., chanting, “No contract, no peace!” 

The original group of protesters began to disperse around 2:15 p.m., with some walking to join the union members picketing around the conference center. A representative from the UC Divest Coalition urged students to show up to a 9:30 a.m. rally Wednesday outside the Luskin Conference Center to demand that the UC Board of Regents vote against proposed tuition hikes.

“We, the UCLA community, are united in our demands that UCLA put us – the people – first,” an organizer said in their closing speech.