Nov. 17 and 18, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 went on strike, with hundreds of UCLA workers protesting the UC system. Representing over 40,000 of service workers, patient care technical workers and skilled craft workers across UC campuses, medical centers, laboratories and clinics, the strike came in response to the UC’s failure to offer the workers a fair contract that addresses the unaffordability of life.
AFSCME Local 3299 members have been working without a contract for over a year. As inflation rose after the pandemic, the salary for these workers was only rising by 3% on an average, indicating that UCs were behind on equity adjustments. This essentially translates to an 8% wage cut for SX and patient care workers.
As union members took to the streets, their demands were clear from the get-go: livable wages, safe staffing levels and affordable healthcare and housing. For many workers, these aren’t abstract policy goals but daily struggles that affect their ability to do their jobs.
Monica Martinez, a clinical care partner at the Ronald Reagan Medical Center, stated, “I want to know that as proud workers of the UC system, we care about students…We do the best job that we can and give the best care. And we can’t do that if we are being short-staffed, disrespected, and if we can’t live on the wages we make here.”
When asked if the workers think the cuts in the UC’s federal funding and pressure from the current administration had an impact on their ability to negotiate a contract, Martinez added, “All I know about is that I can’t afford to live on my own. I’m renting a room in my son’s house with his family…I am not able to get a place of my own, that’s my reality right now. So you can talk to me about cuts and federal funding and all that stuff, but that’s not my reality.”
Daniel, a fellow medical professional protesting for fair wages, stated, “That’s what they paint, that they’re struggling, but they’re actually still getting a lot of funding…UCI just bought five hospitals… The money is there for expansion, but fair wages is what they don’t want to give.”
By uniting workers across professions and campuses, AFSCME Local 3299 strikes act not only as a way of bringing the workers to justice, but also as a way of empowering workers and propping them up to better serve the people who depend on them.
Kevin Gregg, another AFSCME Local member present at the strike, stated, “I care about the patients that we serve and the patients that we take care of. The patients that I see are very vulnerable, they are very scared and they are very sick…So I’m here because I care, and in order for us to be able to do our jobs safely and effectively, we need to have our basic needs met.”
When inquired about what he would like to say to those who failed to show up to the strike, Gregg stated, “By not showing up is doing exactly what administration and management want.” As each signage and chant reminds us, this protest is a fight not just for the worker’s survival, but a fight for them to thrive.
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Featured Image Photographed by Siena Hunt/BruinLife
