UC ULP STRIKE UPDATE: DAY 29

Berkeley, CA – Twenty-nine days into the largest strike of the year and the largest strike ever at a U.S. institute of higher education, here is where things stand:

• MAJOR ACTION DECEMBER 14: At 9:30am on Wednesday, December 14th, Tom Morello (the lead guitarist from Rage Against the Machine) will perform at UCLA’s Luskin Center to kick off a rally where striking academic workers, faculty, undergraduates and labor allies will ask the Regents – who will be meeting inside the center at that time-  to demand UC President Michael Drake settle a fair contract and guarantee that UC remains equitable for all.

• Late last Friday, 7,000 Postdoctoral Scholars and 5,000 Academic Researchers ratified their contracts with the University. They were back at work today, and continue to support the 36,000 Academic Workers (TAs, Student Researchers, Readers, Graders and Tutors) who remain on strike.

• Also on Friday, bargaining teams representing the remaining 36,000 workers voted to enter voluntary mediation with the university.

• On Saturday, Darrell Steinberg was approved by both parties as the Mediator. Steinberg is the former Senate Pro Tem, the current Mayor of Sacramento, and a former UAW member.

• “I will do everything I can to help the parties resolve this dispute fairly for each side,” said Steinberg. “In one weekend, I already see numerous paths to reach a principled compromise that respects both parties and allows work to resume with fair contracts and a stronger university. My thanks to the Governor, UAW, and the Board of Regents for asking me to help.”