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UC Davis Medical Center workers and supporters march on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in the rain at the Sacramento campus during a statewide strike by AFSCME Local 3299. The workers are asking for higher salaries and a stop to an increase to their medical insurance.<\/p>\n
Hector Amezcua<\/p>\n
hamezcua@sacbee.com<\/p>\n
A union representing University of California service and health care workers plans to launch an open-ended strike next month over allegations that the university had illegally increased members\u2019 insurance costs and refused to bargain over housing benefits.<\/p>\n
The union said the open-ended strike, scheduled to begin May 14, would be the first of its kind at UC health systems and would impact all 10 university campuses and other facilities across the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cInstead of the university really bargaining in good faith, they illegally have imposed these terms that amount to pay cuts,\u201d Michael Avant, president of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, said in an interview.<\/p>\n
AFSCME Local 3299\u2019s last contract with UC expired in July 2024. Negotiations have continued on and off in the two years since bargaining began.<\/p>\n
In November 2024, AFSCME Local 3299 went on a multi-day strike<\/a> over low wages and health care costs. The union represents roughly 40,000 UC service and patient care technical workers who work at university facilities across the state. The union represents roughly 6,000 workers at UC Davis.<\/p>\n UC Health cares for 2.5 million patients<\/a> each year and serves Californians in 99% of the state\u2019s ZIP codes.<\/p>\n Heather Hansen, a spokesperson for UC\u2019s Office of the President, said in a statement that the university was disappointed at the union\u2019s strike announcement.<\/p>\n \u201cGiven the progress at the table, an open-ended strike is unnecessary and risks disruption for patients, students, and campus operations,\u201d Hansen said.<\/p>\n Last year, AFSCME Local 3299 filed two unfair labor practices against UC, alleging the university imposed contract terms<\/a> that resulted in increases to members\u2019 health care rates and refused to bargain over a proposal to provide low-wage<\/a> employees with housing aid.<\/p>\n The union\u2019s executive director, Liz Perlman, said AFSCME Local 3299 represents the lowest-paid workers in the university system. Members\u2019 average salary is $62,000 a year, which she said is insufficient to afford to live in the high-cost communities where UC facilities are located.<\/p>\n The affordability crisis has become so acute for some members, they have been forced to sleep in cars and homeless shelters<\/a>, Avant said.<\/p>\n \u201cMembers are on the verge of saying, \u2018Do I pay for my prescription medication, or do I pay for my rent?\u2019 \u201d he said.<\/p>\n In April 2025, UC offered AFSCME a last, best and final offer, which included a $25 minimum wage and a 5% wage increase. In the year since, negotiations have continued. Earlier this month<\/a>, UC presented a revised contract to the union that included a proposed 32% wage increase between 2025 and 2029. The university\u2019s proposal also included caps on health care premium increases.<\/p>\n Hansen noted that the unfair labor practices filed by the union have not been adjudicated by California\u2019s Public Employment Relations Board and the university \u201ccategorically\u201d disagreed with AFSCME Local 3299\u2019s claims.<\/p>\n \u201cWe remain committed to negotiating in good faith and reaching an agreement as quickly as possible so employees can begin receiving these benefits,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n If an agreement isn\u2019t reached before the May start date, the strike \u201cwill go on as long as it\u2019s needed to resolve all the issues,\u201d Perlman said.<\/p>\n This story was originally published April 15, 2026 at 11:30 AM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
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