Thousands of healthcare workers from UC San Diego Health are now in their second day of a strike, joining tens of thousands of union members across California in a unified demand for improved pay, benefits, and fair labor negotiations. The strike involved over 7,000 members of AFSCME Local 3299, which includes a diverse group of employees such as medical assistants, custodians, and food service workers, whose contracts expired last fall.
Simultaneously, more than 4,000 members of UPTE Local 9119, comprising physical therapists, pharmacist aides, and mental health clinicians, are engaged in a three-day strike, with their ranks swelling on Thursday. Workers like Christopher Kiser, an Infusion Scheduling Coordinator at UC San Diego Health, explained their struggles with the rising cost of living, stating, “72 percent of my monthly income goes to paying rent alone. I have to work multiple jobs to pay for gas, electric, and food.”
The striking workers have organized marches throughout the UC San Diego campus, rallying in front of fellow colleagues and community members. On Wednesday, tensions rose as a large crowd crossed the bridge over Interstate 5, chanting slogans and cheering for their cause.
Todd Stenhouse, a spokesperson for AFSCME Local 3299, framed the situation as a “five-alarm fire burning,” urging the University of California to take immediate action. “We are united, we want to solve this problem, and we need you to be just as interested as we are,” he proclaimed.
Union representatives from UPTE have expressed concerns over staffing and retention issues within the UC San Diego system. Jon Sunada, a physical therapist at the Jacobs Medical Center, emphasized the risks posed to patient care by the lack of adequate staffing, stating, “If we do not have enough staff and we cannot retain enough staff, then we can’t adequately provide for patients and for our community.”
In response, the University of California has refuted claims regarding a staffing crisis, asserting that employee headcount is on the rise for both unions. “This claim has no truth, and continuing to repeat it does not make it true,” UC stated.
Negotiations between the unions and the university have reportedly stalled, with union representatives alleging that UC is prolonging the discussions without offering serious proposals. Sunada lamented the lack of progress, noting, “We’ve had over 20 sessions, but we haven’t been able to make any progress because UC has not been bargaining with us in good faith.”
In defense, UC representatives countered that they have consistently engaged with the unions to settle the contracts, urging that it is now time for the unions to demonstrate genuine commitment to the negotiation process. “They need to walk the walk and actually bargain in good faith,” UC stated.
The current strikes have raised concerns about potential impacts on patient care. However, UC San Diego Health has assured the public that “detailed plans are in place” to maintain access to hospitals and clinics while minimizing disruptions during the labor action.
