Thousands Of UC Workers Go On Strike For Fair Wages, Pensions

James P. Hoffa
Teamsters General President

Today, thousands of University of California (UC) administrative, clerical and support workers are on strike across the Golden State, taking a stand against a UC system that has turned its back on them by not paying them a wage that allows them to support themselves and their families.

More than 12,000 workers, members of Teamsters Local 2010, walked off the job Tuesday to protest the numerous unfair labor practices and violations of state law committed by UC. It is the culminating act of five days of action that began last Friday at UCLA when some 600 skilled trade workers, also members of Local 2010, went on strike there.

These hard-working Californians have had enough because the UC system refuses to give them respect when it comes to providing fair pay. While executive compensation has increased 58 percent, total operating revenue is up 80 percent and in-state tuition has soared by a whopping 332 percent during the past decade, real wages for administrative, clerical and support workers has actually declined 24 percent during the past 20 years.

The state of pay is so bad for these workers, in fact, that a 2015 Economic Policy