By Darlin Navarrete
SACRAMENTO, CA – University of California’s request for an injunction against UAW Local 4811, whose members are taking strike action against UC’s “egregious unfair labor practices,” was denied for the second time by the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) according to UAW 4811.
More than 31,000 UAW 4811 workers on at least a half dozen UC campuses are on strike as of Wednesday.
The unfair labor practice charges, as explained by UAW 4811, pertain to the night of May 1 and May 2, where the Los Angeles Police Dept. officers in riot gear arrested more than 200 peaceful student protesters alongside academic workers.
UAW 4811 said these students and academic workers were “exercising their legal right to demonstrate against the death, destruction and human suffering directed at the people of Gaza.”
Many arrested, added the union, sought medical aid and hospitalization the night prior after being “physically attacked and maced by a group of anti-Palestinian counter-protesters” and despite both UCLA and LAPD being aware of the attacks they failed to respond.
UAW 4811 union stated it then filed Unfair Labor Practice Charges against UCLA because of the administration’s conduct and actions; on May 10, an Unfair Labor Practice charges amendment was also filed including additional violations at UCSD and UCI.
UAW 4811 on May 17 further amended Unfair Labor Practice, with charges filed including more violations, and on May 21 updated Unfair Labor Practice charges were filed.
The California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) had last denied UC an injunction on May 20, but allowed the submission of supplemental and new arguments from the university, as noted by UAW 4811.
UAW 4811 reported that Rafael Jaime, a UCLA PhD student and President of UAW 4811 (which represents 48,000 academic workers at UC) commented, “It’s heartening to see that PERB has once again upheld the law. It’s time for UC to face reality.
“The supplemental evidence that UC tacked onto its last request made no real additions to an argument that PERB has already rejected. We said last week that if UC did not make progress in addressing the serious unfair labor practices, as many as three more campuses could be called to stand up.
“UC instead chose another week of legal saber-rattling, and now UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, and UC San Diego are walking out. If management wants work to resume, they should resolve their serious unfair labor practices and stop wasting time and public resources on legal maneuvers. We stand ready to reach resolution — where is UC?”
Among UC’s serious unfair labor practices, noted the UAW, are included “changing workplace speech policies by summoning militarized police officers from outside law enforcement agencies to eject and arrest peaceful protesters at UCLA, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine, disciplining and suspending employees engaged in peaceful protest, and threatening further discipline.”
UAW 4811 also reported that on May 20 UC Santa Cruz workers were the first to walk off their jobs, then following that on May 28 UCLA and UC Davis workers did the same. UC Santa Barbara and UC San Diego joined in the strike Tuesday and UC Irvine will be joining this Wednesday.
