Non-tenure faculty across the University of California voted for a two-day strike this week, November 17 and 18. UC-AFT lecturers have been working without a contract for more than two years, and they charge the university with several unfair labor practices including refusal to bargain on key issues.
Lecturers teach as much as a third of courses across the University of California. They have little or no job security, and are paid much less than faculty on a per class basis. These conditions undermine faculty welfare and threaten the future of public higher education. The UCLA Faculty Association/AAUP stands in solidarity with UC-AFT and other campus unions against UCOP’s approach to bargaining. We have seen this scenario before with other campus unions: UCOP negotiators drag the process out as long as possible, refusing to budge until political and strike pressure forces an agreement. The time has come for the university to get serious about improving conditions for all its employees, starting with the lecturers.
Individual Senate faculty are expressing support for the lecturers by pledging to honor their picket line or take other actions. You can add your name to the Pledge of Solidarity here.
An FAQ about the Unfair Labor Practices is here.
To sign up for a shift on the picket line, please click here.