Employees from the UCs Hold Three-day Strike in UCLA Medical Centers
The workers demanded fair wages and equal treatment from their employers.
Employees of the University of California system across the state of California began their three day strike by stepping out on the streets to demand a renegotiation of their contracts with the UC system from Monday, May 7, to Wednesday, May 9.
Strikes were held in Los Angeles, California at the two UCLA medical centers, one being in Westwood, California. The workers in Westwood began the first day of their strike by showing up at around 4:00 a.m. With picket signs in hand, the group of around a hundred workers walked around the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Jeanette Willridge, a UC worker, is part of the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME 3299) organization, which is the University of California’s largest employee union, according to their website. Willridge said that the organization brought on this three day strike to “[try] to make sure that we get at least a compromise, and they're not budging. It's not just about our pay increase, they're trying to take pension away… they're trying to increase our retirement [age] from 60 to 65.”
The UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, California had a group of about 50 workers out on strike in front of the building also with picket signs in hand, they are also part of the AFSCME 3299 organization.
Lakeisha Collins, a worker at the Santa Monica medical center, stated, “The [UC system] has a very bad history of inequality not being fair and disrespecting the workers and it's not fair, so that's what we're out here fighting for… If you look at the things that we ask for in the contract, it all falls under them being fair, them being equal.”
According to CBS News, three people that took part of the strike in Westwood were taken to the hospital for minor injuries after a motorist struck into a group of people crossing the street. The unidentified man was taken into custody by police.
On the third and final day of the strike, the strike continued outside The UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica. David Ortiz, a UC worker reflected on what the future holds for their desire of a new contract: "Yesterday's strike was a huge success; it was the largest gathering of members. Our plan for after the strike is the walk back, everyone will be going back to work [and] they will be supporting each other. The one thing that we do not want is any retaliation from the university for the activities done through the last three days."
The goal of this three day strike was to demonstrate the need of a new contract. Heather Hahn, who was apart of the strike, said, "We're hoping that we made an impact on the university and that we get a fair and equal contract which is all that we're asking for." Hahn said, "We work very hard for this hospital, we made them the magnet hospital that they are."
When Hahn was asked if she expects a new contract she said, "No, because they are just after the money and not about anything else."