(Source: Teamsters Local 2010 press release, November 3, 2016)
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — On Thursday, November 3, our UCLA electricians, elevator mechanics, plumbers, facilities workers, and other skilled trades workers, overwhelmingly voted (96%) to strike over the University’s numerous violations of state labor law (unfair labor practices).
The strike is scheduled to take place Wednesday, November 16 and will affect UCLA operations on campus and at the medical centers. The Teamsters advise the public to reschedule all nonessential medical appointments and to avoid the campus on that day.
Local 2010 represents the 600 skilled trades workers and more than 3,000 clerical workers at UCLA. The striking skilled trades workers provide critical services to UCLA, including the maintenance and operation of patient care facilities at the UCLA Center for Health Sciences and UCLA Santa Monica Hospital, computer systems, research facilities and the care of valuable collections. Sporting venues, conference facilities, student housing, and faculty and administrative offices will be impacted.
“I have been trapped in an elevator, and it was a very trying situation. I am concerned that without skilled workers on the job, UCLA’s medical centers will be unsafe for patients and my coworkers,” said Jackie Spears, UCLA Radiology Administrative Assistant III.
Notice has been provided to the UCLA Medical Centers and the UCLA Chancellor, providing the university with more than the legally required 10-day notice to transfer patients and ensure that the public, students, staff and faculty are protected from harm.
“It is important that UCLA management take the appropriate steps to avoid unnecessary traffic tie-ups around the campus area due to pickets and protests on the campus.” said Jason Rabinowitz, Teamsters Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer and Principal Officer. “The UC can easily resolve this problem and prevent the adverse impact of the strike on the public and workers by negotiating in good faith.”
UCLA skilled trades workers are paid as much as $10 an hour below prevailing wage in the area, and have gone over four years without raises. UCLA has unlawfully refused to bargain for the raises, despite having funds in the budget for the increases. UCLA now plans to pocket the budgeted funds rather than bargaining in good faith for the workers’ raises.
“I have not had a raise in four years,” said Sam Huffman, Facilities Mechanic. “But I have to pay almost $1,000 per year for parking and my costs for health care have gone up.”
“The University is charging our customers more for our services and refuses to negotiate over the back pay which we worked for and earned,” said Clayton Benson, Service Engineer.
UC San Diego skilled trades workers, who are also represented by Teamsters Local 2010, are preparing to strike the UCSD campus and hospitals the following day, November 17th, over UC’s labor law violations.
The contract for the 14,000 UC administrative support workers statewide, also represented by Teamsters Local 2010, is due to expire on November 30. These workers’ real income has declined by 24% over the past two decades, and they are now paid so little that 70% suffer from food insecurity or hunger according to a recent study. The Union is preparing to take statewide strike action, if necessary after expiration of this contract.