Final exams continued Monday after a judge issued a temporary restraining order that ended the academic workers' walkout at University of California campuses.
United Auto Workers Local 4811 union members across California were on strike against the university system’s response to last month’s protests in support of Palestinians.
At least seven UC San Diego seniors arrested during those protests have been barred from graduating this Saturday, pending an investigation into their conduct.
“I think that people should be expressing their right to protest and strike," said Steven Aguire, a UC San Diego freshman from Bakersfield.
Watching the union's strike unfold throughout the state and at UCSD concerned him.
“I do know that it’s been affecting a lot of the classes like whether students will get their finals graded," Aguire said.
Students and the UC got some relief late Friday when Orange County Superior Court Judge Randall Sherman issued a temporary restraining order to stop the strike.
He ordered them off the picket lines and back to classrooms and research labs.
In a written statement, Melissa Matella, the UC Associate Vice President of Systemwide Labor Relations said, in part:
“We are extremely grateful for a pause in this strike so our students can complete their academic studies. The strike would have caused irreversible setbacks to students’ academic achievements and may have stalled critical research projects in the final quarter."
UAW leaders said they would end mediation talks with the UC system and focus on the union's complaint filed with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). They also said PERB is the only authority that should be ruling on this case.
The group Students for Justice in Palestine has announced on social media plans for a counter event called the People’s Graduation to be held Friday afternoon off campus. A location has not been determined yet.
“Honestly I’m kind of disappointed because I feel like the UC should be supporting their students," said UCSD first-year Yeimi Rodriguez. "They talk a lot about how people should have the right of speech but they’re not following up with that,"
