Union members protested during an event featuring UC President James B. Milliken at the nation’s oldest public forum in San Francisco tonight.
Outside the event, about 70 protesters from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME 3299, picketed and called for the UC to reach a contract agreement that would provide them with affordable housing and a living wage. AFSCME 3299 represents approximately 40,000 service, patient and skilled craft workers in the UC system.
Four protesters — a UC Berkeley student, AFSCME 3299 executive board members Naomi Nakamura and Carmen Lee, and Debra Grabelle, executive director of International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers Local 21 — were escorted outside after interrupting the beginning of the event by giving statements inside the auditorium.
The event, titled “Introducing U.C. President James B. Milliken,” was hosted by the Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, an organization that regularly hosts high-profile public forums. The event consisted of a free-form interview and Q&A section moderated by UC Berkeley alumna and ABC7 News Bay Area anchor Kristen Sze.
UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons was in attendance, along with various UC administrators and officials.
During the event, Milliken discussed the Department of Justice’s $1.2 billion settlement proposal with UCLA, stating that paying the settlement would “devastate” the UC system.
“We’re not going to compromise on our independence, our governance, our mission and our academic freedom,” Milliken said to applause, before adding that he is willing to “sit down and talk” with the federal government about alleged antisemitism.
Carmen Lee, one of the four protesters escorted out of the event, has worked as a shuttle driver for UCSF for more than 17 years. She said the union’s message to Milliken about affordable housing holds personal significance to her, as she was previously unhoused and has lived in public housing the entire time that she has worked for the UC system.
“I’ve always had a dream to buy a home, but I never could afford a down payment to do that,” Lee said.
At least six UCSF police officers arrived after the protesters had been escorted out of the event. The protesters outside peacefully dispersed less than an hour after the event concluded.
“UC is committed to supporting its workforce in a responsible and sustainable way by providing competitive wage increases that allow employees the flexibility to address their individual needs, including housing, childcare, and other living expenses,” said UCOP spokesperson Heather Hansen in an email.
AFSCME 3299-represented workers across the UC system went on strike in November 2025 over the “university’s failure to settle contracts” that address cost of living crises. Recently, members have taken to Instagram to voice their displeasure over the union’s failure to secure a contract, despite monthslong negotiations with the UC system.
As attendees left the building, one expressed that she “really enjoyed the event” but was “disappointed” that AFSCME 3299 protesters had interrupted it.
“Some things never change,” added another attendee.