UAW 4811 votes to authorize strike<\/p>\n
SAN DIEGO \u2014 On Friday, three units of the United Auto Workers Local 4811 labor union passed a vote to authorize a strike. The three units represent more than 40,000 staff and academic workers across the University of California. The strike authorization passed with over 93.3% of the vote in favor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the face of the UC administration \u201cdelaying full and fair agreements\u201d regarding contract negotiations, the union is alleging administrators engaged in unfair labor practices.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The strike authorization vote does not mean that a strike has been officially called. Rather, the vote\u2019s passing permits the union\u2019s bargaining committees to call for a strike if deemed necessary, such as if administration continues committing ULP or delaying contract negotiations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A press release<\/a> from UAW 4811 listed job security, health care costs, protections for international workers, and fair compensation as the union\u2019s main concerns in contract negotiations.\u00a0<\/p>\n The units that approved the strike include Academic Student Employees, Student Services and Advising Professionals, and Research and Public Service Professionals, encompassing 28,500, 5,000, and 6,500 workers, respectively.\u00a0<\/p>\n Daisy Ruiz, a SSAP-UAW member at UC Riverside, commented on the strike via a media advisory<\/a> released by the union.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we go forward with a multi-unit statewide strike, the vast majority of student services, teaching, research, and administration would simply not happen,\u201d Ruiz said. \u201cCalifornians deserve a university system that reflects their priorities and values. Administrators should be working with us to secure fair agreements so we can defend the university and make it stronger, but they are choosing to delay negotiations and commit ULPs instead, and that is unacceptable.\u201d<\/p>\n UAW 4811 posted a statement<\/a> on Instagram regarding the vote.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cUC management should be officially on notice that UC-UAW workers are united against their unfair labor practices and that they must bargain with all of us in good faith towards fair contracts,\u201d the statement read.<\/p>\n UAW 4811 last went on strike<\/a> in May 2024. The strike was called against the university\u2019s violent response to peaceful students and faculty members who protested in solidarity with Palestine.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Winter storm hits President\u2019s Day week<\/p>\n SAN DIEGO \u2014 A winter storm system is expected to impact San Diego and other Southern California cities this week from Feb. 16 through Feb. 18, per the National Weather Service\u2019s Feb. 15<\/a> winter storm warning.\u00a0<\/p>\n San Diego will endure the heavier rain patterns of the storm on Monday and Wednesday, and the city<\/a> will receive up to 2 inches of rain. The NWS expects that the chance of rain will be significantly diminished by Thursday night.<\/p>\n The winter storm warning remains in effect from Feb. 15 at 10 p.m. until Feb. 18 at 10 p.m., at the time of publishing.<\/p>\n The NWS also issued a wind advisory on Monday across San Diego County\u2019s coastal areas and valleys; it remained active from 7 a.m. through 8 p.m. Winds are expected to reach their peak at 20 mph on Tuesday night. The advisory also covers other regions such as Orange County\u2019s inland areas and the Santa Ana Mountains.<\/p>\n The NWS additionally established a high surf advisory<\/a>, indicating that waves will reach heights above 8 feet \u2014 not suitable for activities near the shore or in the ocean like surfing or swimming. The advisory is set to be lifted on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n The NWS predicts this storm will impact mountain regions more severely, forecasting between 18 to 24 inches of snow in areas such as Big Bear Lake and Wrightwood.\u00a0<\/p>\n For those who must travel through the storm, the NWS<\/a> encourages people to keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in their vehicle in case of an emergency. The NWS also advises avoiding flood-prone areas, especially Mission Valley and Sorrento Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n San Diego County is offering free materials at locations listed on its website<\/a> to make sandbags to block flooding.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n San Diego Unified teachers reach tentative agreement, call off strike<\/p>\n SAN DIEGO \u2014 Last Friday, San Diego teachers reached a tentative contract agreement and resolved a settlement with the San Diego Unified School District regarding unfair labor practice claims. The San Diego Education Association, the labor union representing these teachers, consequently called off a one-day strike originally scheduled for Feb. 26.\u00a0<\/p>\n The SDEA announced<\/a> that its tentative contract with SDUSD addresses all of the union\u2019s key concerns previously pending negotiation \u2014 including those regarding staffing, more fair pay for educators, and student community guidelines \u2014 in a press release on Friday.<\/p>\n The ULP that the SDEA brought claimed mistreatment of teachers in special education programs. The ULP alleged that the district forced teachers with caseloads over 20 students with \u201cmild to moderate disabilities<\/a>\u201d \u2014 the limit set by SDUSD \u2014\u00a0to wait years for stipends that should have been automatically allocated. The tentative agreement guarantees stipends will now be awarded either automatically or on a monthly basis.<\/p>\n The agreement also financially incentivizes SDUSD to \u201cfix staffing issues and provide the support that students and educators need.\u201d The agreement directs the district to award $4,000 in annual stipends to special education teachers working in \u201chard to fill positions.\u201d<\/p>\n Regarding job security, the tentative contract promises no layoffs during the duration of the contract, protected copay limits, and a 2.5% raise this year and an additional 2.5% for next year, among other items.<\/p>\n Union members will now vote to ratify the contract via a simple majority referendum.<\/p>\n The SDEA first announced its scheduled strike in December 2025, which received over 90% approval from SDEA members.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n DHS funding blocked, government reenters partial shutdown<\/p>\n WASHINGTON \u2014\u00a0The government reentered a partial shutdown<\/a> at midnight on Saturday, following the Senate\u2019s failure to pass a new Department of Homeland Security funding bill in Thursday\u2019s 52-to-47 vote. Stopgap funding in place for the last two weeks expired on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportation operations will likely continue despite the shutdown, as H.R.1<\/a>, passed in July, leaves funds readily available for the agency to use without congressional approval.\u00a0<\/p>\n This is the second partial shutdown of 2026. It currently affects only the DHS. Roughly 90%<\/a> of employees in the department will work without pay until the government reopens, excluding ICE.\u00a0<\/p>\n House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer outlined a list of 10 demands for ICE reform in a letter<\/a> from congressional Democrats to Republican lawmakers. The demands include prohibiting targeted enforcement, requiring use of body cameras during public interactions, and banning ICE officers from wearing face masks.\u00a0<\/p>\n Schumer explained that Democrats will not budge unless the GOP accepts the reforms in a CNN interview<\/a> on Sunday morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRepublicans go along with these commonsense proposals, and we\u2019ll fund the whole DHS bill,\u201d he said. \u201cJust go along. Again, I cannot repeat enough, these are common sense.\u201d<\/p>\n The Senate is expected to continue discussions about the DHS spending bill on Tuesday.\u00a0<\/p>\n