U. of California Strike Averted, Talks Continue

Published: May 29, 2008Author: CS Staff

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – University of California (UC) officials and representatives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union jointly announced May 29 that they will be returning to the bargaining table to continue negotiations for new labor contracts for the more than 20,000 UC patient care and service workers that AFSCME represents.

The following is the May 29 joint statement from UC and the AFSCME union regarding contract negotiations concerning UC patient care and service employees:

“University of California officials and representatives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union today (May 29) jointly announced that they will be returning to the bargaining table to continue negotiations for new labor contracts for the more than 20,000 UC patient care and service workers that AFSCME represents.

“The State Mediation and Conciliation Service has recommended that the parties continue bargaining, and negotiations will resume at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 30 with the assistance of a neutral third-party mediator.

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“Accordingly, the union will not be striking UC medical centers and campuses on June 4 and 5 as previously announced.

“Both UC and AFSCME are committed to bargaining in good faith, and hope to reach an agreement soon.

“UC and AFSCME have been in negotiations for the last ten months for a new contract for more than 11,000 UC patient care technical employees, and for the last seven months for a new contract for 8,000 UC service employees.

“The 20,000 patient care and service workers include a wide variety of jobs including, but not limited to, medical technologists who take x-rays, MRIs, and mammograms; respiratory therapists who operate breathing machines; medical assistants who clean wounds, bathe and turn patients to prevent infections and bed sores; cleaners who disinfect medical instruments and patient areas; custodians who clean the hospitals and campus dorms; and food service workers who provide cafeteria service to patients and students.”