Unionized workers picketed at UC Irvine Medical Center in May. the union has scheduled a five day walkout in March.
Unionized workers picket at UC Irvine Medical Center in May. The union has scheduled a five-day walkout starting March 3. (Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times / May 22, 2013)
February 20, 2014, 11:57 a.m.
The union representing the University of California's 21,000 service workers and patient care employees has scheduled a five-day strike starting March 3 -- which would be their third and longest walkout in less than a year.
Unless a contract with UC is settled before March 3, AFSCME Local 3299 said its 8,300 food workers, custodians, gardeners and other service workers at UC’s 10 campuses and five medical centers would walk out for those five days next month. The union’s 13,000 patient care technical workers, such as respiratory therapists, would strike in sympathy, according to a union statement issued Thursday.
The union struck for two days in May and held a one-day walkout in November. It has been locked in lengthy and tense negotiations with UC administrators over such issues as employee contributions