UC Workers and Students Picket in Support of AFSCME's Contract Fight

On December 6, University of California employees represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 held statewide pickets at all five UC medical centers and 10 campuses to express their concerns with current working conditions and their effect on patient care and student services. At UC Santa Cruz, approximately 200 students and workers from AFSCME and other Monterey Bay Area unions participated in a rain soaked picket and rally in the Bay Tree Plaza.

The contract for over 11,000 patient care workers represented by AFSCME Local 3299 expired on September 30, 2007. The contract for the 9,000 additional UC workers represented by the AFSCME Local 3299 will expire on January 31, 2007. The members of Local 3299 are concerned with the ongoing direction of the University and how it is affecting their ability to provide the highest quality patient care and student services. AFSCME Local 3299 members include custodians, food service workers, bus drivers, groundskeepers, patient care providers and technicians. ((i))