**MONDAY AT UCSD**

CAL FED’S LORENA GONZALEZ FLETCHER TO BE JOINED BY SAN DIEGO IMPERIAL LABOR COUNCIL’S BRIGITTE BROWNING AND BoS CHAIR FLETCHER IN SUPPORT OF 48,000 UNION WORKERS POISED TO STRIKE AT UC

Officials will stand shoulder to shoulder with workers as the biggest strike in the country unfolds across California.  

San Diego CA – On Monday, 48,000 UAW-represented employees of the University of California are set to begin a multi-unit, statewide Unfair Labor Practices strike if the University continues its unlawful conduct at the bargaining table. The workers, who include Academic Workers across ten campuses, including Postdocs, Teaching Assistants, Academic Student Employees, Graduate Student Researchers, Academic Researchers, Readers and Tutors, perform the majority of teaching and research at UC. This will be the first ever strike of researchers in the UC system, and the first ever strike of Postdocs and Academic Researchers in the country.

Standing alongside them on the picket line at UC San Diego this Monday will be the head of California’s statewide Labor Federation, Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher. She will be joined by the San Diego Imperial Labor Council’s Executive Secretary-Treasurer Brigitte Browning, and Chair of the San Diego Board of Supervisors Nathan Fletcher.

“It’s outrageous that California’s largest public employer, the University of California, is getting away with paying their own employees poverty wages. As a UC alum, UC parent, and wife of UC faculty, I know these academic workers are essential to this university. The UC system’s world-renowned reputation wouldn’t be possible without their labor,” said Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, head of the 2.1 million member California Labor Federation. “It’s never an easy decision for workers to go out on strike, but we’re ready to join 48,000 UAW members on the picket lines on Monday until the UC commits to truly valuing all work and reaches a fair agreement.”

WHEN: Monday, November 14th at 1pm

WHERE: Lawn on the west side of the Geisel Library at UCSD

WHO: Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher, head of the California Labor Federation, Brigitte Browning, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of the San Diego Imperial Labor Council, and San DIego Board of Supervisors Chair Nathan Fletcher

WHY: To stand in solidarity with 48,000 union workers as they strike against the University of California’s unlawful conduct that is preventing resolution of  fair union contracts.

Times and locations for the strike, which will be the biggest in the nation and possibly the biggest of the year, are listed here. Press is welcome to attend. 

Additional information is below:

LA Times: A strike by UC academic workers would tarnish the prestigious university system

Sacramento Bee: Thousands of UC researchers, teaching assistants authorize strike across 10 campuses

San Francisco Chronicle: Thousands set to strike across UC system beginning Nov. 14. The action could hobble research and grading ahead of finals 

NBC LA: UC Workers Vote to Strike, Which Could Put Students in Limbo During Exams 

Learn more online at www.FairUCNow.org.

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