Quick Take
The University of California and the United Auto Workers reached a tentative four-year contract agreement covering more than 40,000 graduate student workers and staff, averting a planned strike following months of dispute over alleged unfair labor practices. The deal includes raises ranging from 12% to 45% and expanded child care benefits, though some workers — particularly at UC Santa Cruz — say it falls short on key demands as union members vote on ratification.
The union representing more than 40,000 University of California graduate student workers and some staff recently reached a tentative agreement with the university for a new contract, heading off a strike.
Union officials say they gained 12% to 45% raises for teaching assistants and graduate student researchers and expanded child care benefits as part of the four-year agreement. From Tuesday to Friday, workers across the UC campuses are voting on whether to ratify the agreement.
In February, the United Auto Workers (UAW) authorized a strike after accusing the UC of committing unfair labor practices. The union represents professional advisors and student services staff as well as graduate student workers such as teaching assistants. The union accused the university of committing eight unfair labor practices at multiple UC campuses.
After going through mediation, the UC and UAW reached two new contract agreements for academic and staff employees. The new contracts are for multiple units within the UAW: academic student employees, research and public service professionals and student services and advising professionals.
The UAW bargaining committee “strongly endorses a YES vote,” according to a post on its Instagram. However, many workers feel some of their concerns went unaddressed and are planning to vote against it.
UCSC’s academic student unit chair, Rebecca Gross, told Lookout that many workers on the campus don’t support the agreement.
“Overwhelmingly, it seems like across the state, there is support for this contract,” she said. “With that said … the bargaining team reps from Santa Cruz felt that this contract doesn’t do enough to defend against the restructuring and the austerity that we’re seeing at UC right now.”
Gross said she and other UCSC workers oppose the agreement because it didn’t provide undergraduate class-size caps for the classes they TA for, there’s no multiyear funding guarantee for future students, and it doesn’t guarantee 12 months of pay but rather a nine-month guarantee, among other unmet demands.
She added that their “no” vote isn’t an attempt to overturn the agreement, but rather sends a message that they were ready to strike and shows their disapproval of the contract.
The results of the union’s UC-wide vote will likely be released Friday evening, she said.
Missy Matella, UC associate vice president for systemwide employee and labor relations, said in a statement that reaching the agreement took time and trust.
“We are grateful to achieve agreements that mutually benefit the University’s academic student employees and new staff units,” she said. “These agreements reflect the tireless work of the bargaining teams on both sides of the table that remained committed to productive, good-faith negotiations throughout bargaining.”
Gross said there are about 1,500 union members on the UCSC campus, and about 28,000 in total across the system. The workers include teaching assistants, graduate student researchers, fellows, readers and tutors who are mostly graduate workers, but there are also some undergraduate workers.
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