I'm sending this urgent alert from our Democratic Socialist Labor Commission. This strike is happening RIGHT NOW — read on to see how you can help.
In solidarity,
Maria Svart
DSA National Director
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This week, 53,000 workers at ten University of California (UC) campuses and five UC medical centers across California will strike. The DSLC stands in solidarity with them.
The State of California is the fifth largest economy in the world, and The University of California is the largest employer in the state, so UC negotiations will have a ripple effect, setting standards for workers’ wages and working conditions across California.
This is a historic strike with three unions participating: AFSCME, CNA, and UPTE. The Democratic Socialist Labor Commission supports UC worker militancy and encourages all DSA and YDSA members to support this strike. If you are in California, join the picket lines! If you can’t, share your photos and messages of support on social media.
The UC Regents — a board that includes wealth managers, financiers, and real estate investors — have been imposing a regime of austerity on California’s public higher-ed system for years, raising tuition and privatizing services while the state cuts taxes on billionaires. Now they are going full tilt against workers in the hopes that the forthcoming Janus decision will allow them to attack contracts at every level. The Regents are targeting workers’ retirement, healthcare, wages, and layoff protections. Meanwhile, the Regents are ignoring workers’ demands for sexual harassment protections, ban the box, and protection from ICE raids at work.
Many of the strikers are entry-level service workers (custodians, security guards, groundskeepers) represented by AFSCME 3299, and are disproportionately women, people of color, and immigrants. This strike is historic because workers in higher paid jobs in the UC system, such as nurses represented by CNA, are not allowing their workplaces to be divided and conquered — they are striking in solidarity with some of the lowest paid.
As socialists we believe there is no strong socialist movement without a militant and powerful labor movement. This is an opportunity for DSA to stand in solidarity with striking workers who are uniting for better working conditions. Nearby DSA Chapters are already organizing picket-sign making parties, picket support, and strike education. If you’re in California please find and join a picket line near you.
If you go to your local picket line, make sure to post pictures! If you can’t make it out to a campus, you can still help by sharing your photos and messages of solidarity. Tag @dsalabor and @demsocialists on twitter and support the strikers on social media by using the hashtags #3299Strong and#Strike4Equality.
Tens of thousands of organized UC workers are fighting back against these cuts — and DSA stands with them!
In Solidarity,
Your DSLC Steering Committee:
Annabel Vera
Francisco Cendejas
John Pearson
JP Kaderbek
Kari Thompson
Marsha Niemeijer
Meredeth Schaefer
Paul Prescod
Spencer Cox
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