UC Santa Cruz Strike Update

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION-TV): All is quiet out on the front lines of where the strikes would be happening. That doesn’t mean negotiators behind the scenes have stopped though.

University of California President Michael V. Drake sees this agreement as good progress.

In a statement he says in part:

“This is a positive step forward for the University and for our students, and I am grateful for the progress we have made together. Our Academic Student Employees and Graduate Student Researchers are central to our academic enterprise and make incredible contributions to the University’s mission of research and education.” 

According to the UC, the agreement would provide things like a minimum salary scale, multiyear pay increases and enhanced paid family leave for academic student employees and graduate student researchers.

If approved, the contracts would run until May of 2025. UC Santa Cruz isn’t on the same page as the president though. 

Those that are a part of the strike say that the increase given won’t fix one thing…the cost of living. Undergrad student Joe Thompson breaks down how much students pay and how it affects them.

“You know, we have 9% of undergrads that are homeless,” Thompson said. “On top of that, graduate students are extremely rampant and some of them are paying upwards of 70% of their wages towards rent.”

One member of the UAW, Yulia Gilinchinskaya, explains just how much rent takes out of her check and others with dependents.

“My paycheck after tax comes out to about 2100 a month,” Gilinchinskaya said. “My rent is 1450. For folks who live in family student housing on campus. Their rent is 1850. And like, it’s the UC who pays their salary, who charges them rent.”

With how unified people on strike here at UC Santa Cruz are, they know their voices will be heard.

Gilinchinskaya explained how it felt being on the front lines.

“You know, striking has been hard and exhausting,” Gilinchinskaya said. “But also it’s been really heartening and it’s been really incredible to see solidarity that is being built among workers in different departments and different divisions who really all experience the same issues.”

Thompson believes the UC strikes are great examples of strike solidarity,

“And all unions. SEIU, Starbucks and CWA all need to take a note from that,” Thompson said. “This is what we really want to do. If we’re going to get what we’re fighting for and this is how you do it.”

Another union member who is part of the negotiating tells Karl that right now members of the local UAW will decide if they are on board with this tentative agreement.

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