UC Santa Barbara students and employees passing by Storke Tower on Tuesday may have noticed health care employees, researchers and technical workers on strike.
Employees joined in on a statewide strike following an unfair labor practice charge alleging that the University of California tried forcing newly organized groups of workers into their own, separate negotiation process.
“They’ve refused to bargain with us over 1,000 health care, research and technical workers that have joined the union in the last three years to bargain over pay scales so that they have a set pay scale,” said Samuel Feinstein, a research associate at UCSB for the past six years.
About 20,000 research and technical professionals, represented by the University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE), were part of Tuesday’s statewide strike.
UCSB employs 400 UPTE members, including mental health clinicians, clinical lab scientists, staff research associates, IT analysts, accelerator operators, mechanical and electronic technicians, system administrators and more.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), who are also in the midst of bargaining, joined in on the strike in solidarity with UPTE.
UPTE has been in negotiations with the UC system for a new contract for the past 11 months.
“We want UC to come back and bargain in good faith,” Feinstein said. “They’re fine coming to bargaining and then not doing anything and being as slow as they can, but we want them to actually bargain in good faith so we can make progress and actually come to terms and meet and get agreements on what we need.”
Feinstein said UPTE workers are faced with poor conditions because of critical understaffing, which is leaving employees burned out, research slowing down and students unable to access timely mental health support.
UPTE held a rally with about 50 people on Tuesday outside of Stork Tower.
Kyle Luker, a machine shop manager in the chemistry department, said they need a fair contract to support career progression and so employees can afford to live in the area.
“In order to get a fair contract, we need the UC system to listen to us, to stop engaging in their unfair labor practices,” Luker said. “We are part of what makes this school function. Every one of us here is part of what makes this school a desired research institution.”
Angie Bryan, a behavioral health counselor who has worked at UCSB for more than 20 years, said student mental health is being affected by the staffing shortage.
“What message does it send to our students and to the campus community, if we as behavioral health counselors are burning out and quitting and not being properly compensated?” Bryan said. “Frankly, it’s insulting to hear UC say that there is no staffing crisis when we have two full-time vacant positions in our department that have been on a hiring freeze and have not been filled.”
Bryan ended her speech by saying that she and other employees were willing to strike as many times as necessary until they got a fair contract.
“We’re striking this week because students deserve access to quality, timely mental health services and the staff to support them,” Bryan said. “We urge UC to act swiftly to ensure that behavioral health clinicians have a contract.”
Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Wendy Santamaria spoke at the rally to encourage employees during their strike.
“I am appalled that the UC dares to try to get away with this, but remember this: The way you win is by lasting one day longer,” Santamaria said. “They have money, but you have people. You are the labor power that is creating that money, and as long as you last just one day longer than them, you win.”
