The University of California service workers and patient care workers union went on a systemwide strike from Nov. 20-21. The strike is in response to a year-long contract negotiation battle and recent allegations that the University of California engaged in bad faith bargaining and Unfair Labor Practices.

Organizers marched through campus on both days of the strike. Maddy Fangio / Daily Nexus

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 3299 is the University of California’s (UC) largest employee union, with 37,000 service workers and patient care workers. Since both patient care contracts and service worker contracts were expected to expire by this year, the union has been engaging in contract bargaining with the UC since January. 

AFSCME workers advocated for the contract to decrease the amount they have to pay for healthcare benefits, “adequate” pay raises and willingness by the UC to negotiate in “good faith.” The union initiated a strike vote on Oct. 10 in response to UC resistance to meet these conditions, which passed with 99% approval. Systemwide, nearly 37,000 workers went on strike.

AFSCME criticized the UC for unilaterally increasing healthcare costs by 9%, which raises affordability concerns. According to a press release from AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant, the UC withheld vacancy and payroll cost information while bargaining, with representatives coming unprepared and being unwilling to negotiate their “predictably unacceptable proposals,” prompting AFSCME to file an unfair labor complaint. 

Approximately 200 service workers at UC Santa Barbara halted their work, rallying several times during the two-day period at Storke Tower, the Henley Gate roundabout and the Student Affairs and Administrative Services Building (SAASB). They maintained a de facto base at the Storke Tower steps, including tents, food and picket signs.

On Thursday, protestors arrived at 4:30 a.m. and began marching from 6:30-7:00 a.m., according to Serafin Zamora, an AFSCME executive board member and groundskeeper at UCSB. Protestors chanted “Whose university? Our university,” “When we fight, we win” and “What do we want? Fair contracts. When do we want it? Now,” among others.

Roughly 200 workers and other participants rallied again at 12:30 p.m., starting at Storke Tower and moving to the library, where an International Day of Action protest for Palestine was taking place. The AFSCME protestors began to circle the Palestine protest, and the two protests joined together, both chanting their protest calls. 

The group traveled to the Henley Gate roundabout and the SAASB, chanting “Free Palestine” and “UC, UC you’re no good, treat your workers like you should” until the union protestors circled back to Storke Tower at 2 p.m.

Mark McCullough, the Strategic Communications Specialist of AFCSME 3299 said the pay raise, lower health care costs and affordable housing would allow workers to spend more time with their families, which is currently difficult due to low wages and high housing costs near campus. 

“It’s going to be hard to hire someone when you’re like, why am I going to take that job if I have to commute so far? I’m not going to be able to have the life that I want,” McCullough said.

Fernando Chavez, a medical assistant at UCSB Student Health and a Member Action Team leader, who is meant to communicate with the University about issues workers care about, expressed frustrations with the UC “going backwards” on certain aspects that made them appealing to work for, such as good benefits and hours. He has been on strike four times during his 19 years of employment, and is hoping that the UC and AFSCME will come to an agreement “within the next four months.”

“What they got to do is actually look at the members that are here. The members that clean the toilets, clean the hallways, clean the classrooms, fix all the lawns and everything,” Chavez said. “They got to realize that these guys are the ones that do everything, [they’re] the backbone and they deserve a good raise.”

Abraham Rodriguez, a cook at De La Guerra Dining Commons, said it’s “very hard” to commute from his residence in Lompoc to UCSB, which spans approximately 50 miles. 

Shayna Hawk, a fourth-year political science major and student intern for AFSCME 3299 said the UC’s “do not care about the workers, they do not care about the students. They care about putting money in their own pockets.” 

At the rally on Nov. 21, Hawk delivered a speech to unify the group and maintain solidarity for what they are fighting for. “When we get everything that we deserve, we will always keep fighting, and we will always keep learning and we will continue to be here,” Hawk said. “We will continue to show up for each other, for ourselves. For our community because we deserve it all. This is our university, and we deserve nothing but the best.” 

McCullough concluded the rally by highlighting how important it is for workers to be paid fair wages.

“What it is that we’re fighting for, [is] dignity and respect. It’s the two things that anybody really wants on their job, is to be respected for the work they do in the field, dignified doing it, and that dignity comes often with how you’re treated, how you’re paid and your compensation,” McCullough said.