The academic workers’ union at the University of California system, U.A.W. 4811, recently authorized a strike over concerns about free speech. The union represents around 48,000 graduate students and other academic workers at various University of California campuses and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The strike was spurred by the university system’s handling of campus protests, particularly an incident where counterprotesters attacked a pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California, Los Angeles without police intervention. The vote does not guarantee a strike but gives the union the ability to call one at any time.
The union claimed that the University of California unlawfully changed policies regarding free speech, discriminated against pro-Palestinian speech, and created an unsafe work environment by allowing attacks on protesters. The vote for strike authorization passed with 79 percent support, with the executive board of the local union now having the power to call a strike. The University of California president’s office stated that a strike could introduce non-labor issues into labor agreements, although the university welcomes free speech, lawful protests, and public debate. The protest movements continue at various campuses, including U.C. Merced, U.C. Santa Cruz, and U.C. Davis.
The strike authorization vote enables a “stand-up” strike, a tactic first used by the United Auto Workers during contract negotiations with major automakers. This approach allows the union’s executive board to focus strikes on specific campuses or groups of workers to increase leverage. The union president, Rafael Jaime, mentioned that strikes would be announced at the last minute to maximize chaos and confusion for the employer. The focus on free speech in this strike is considered unusual but reflects a more receptive attitude towards organized labor among young people, who make up a significant portion of the academic workers’ union.
In response to the protests, U.C. Berkeley’s chancellor Carol Christ agreed to begin discussions on divestment from certain companies and to support efforts to secure a cease-fire. However, she stated that divestment from companies doing business with or in Israel was not within her authority. More than 100 people signed up to give public comments at a meeting held by the University of California governing board at U.C. Merced, with most criticizing the universities’ handling of the protests. The executive board of the union will announce later in the week if they are calling for strikes, using chaos and confusion tactics to maximize their impact.
The strike authorization vote by the academic workers’ union at the University of California system reflects a growing demand for free speech rights and a willingness to protest against unfair policies in the workplace. The movement highlights the impact of generational change on workplaces and unions, with young members driving more demands for change in the future. While striking for free speech may be unusual, it showcases the potential for shifts in collective bargaining strategies and the prioritization of non-traditional labor issues in union negotiations. The ongoing protests and potential strikes serve as a warning to employers about the importance of addressing workers’ concerns about free speech and workplace safety.
