On Friday, a judge ordered a temporary stop to the ongoing academic worker strike at the University of California. This strike has been taking place at various campuses to protest against the UC’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
The United Auto Workers 4811 faced two rejections from the state labor board when they attempted to stop the work stoppages. As a result, the UC took their case to court earlier this week, seeking a different outcome. The request was granted by Orange County Superior Court Judge Randall J. Sherman, who was appointed by former Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. He issued a temporary restraining order against the United Auto Workers 4811.
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In a recent development, the UC’s arrest of pro-Palestinian protesters and delayed response to a violent counter-protest at UCLA have been identified by the 48,000-member union as an unfair labor practice. The union consists of classroom employees and researchers who believe that the work stoppages are a political protest against the war in Gaza and do not breach any no-strike clauses in their contracts. However, the university has a different standpoint and contends that the protest is politically motivated and goes against its contracts.
Melissa Matella, the associate vice president for Systemwide Labor Relations, emphasized that the strike was illegal and a clear violation of the no-strike clauses stated in the mutually agreed-upon contracts. Despite this, Matella acknowledged the importance of advocating for issues that matter to the community and the right to engage in lawful free speech activities, which are still ongoing across the system.
Sherman instructed the workers to resume their work until June 27, as final exams are being conducted at various campuses.
In an attempt to “maximize chaos,” employees at six different campuses went on strike. As a result of the strike, campus operations were significantly disrupted and several classes had to be canceled, according to court filings submitted by the UC.
According to Matella, the students’ academic achievements and research projects in the final quarter could have been severely impacted by the strike, causing irreversible setbacks.
