Hundreds of UC San Diego health workers and supporters marched from the Hillcrest Medical Center to Balboa Park on Thursday to call attention to ongoing contract negotiations.
The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME, and the University Professional and Technical Employees, or UPTE, went on a one-day strike. It’s their fourth strike since November, according to the university.
Union leaders say the university froze hiring without giving them notice. Christopher Kaiser, an infusion scheduling coordinator at UC San Diego Health’s Moore Cancer Center, said it comes at a time when they need more staff.
“I do the work of six people, and it's really hard to keep up with the demand,” he said.
Additional staff would help them see patients faster, said Lea Bishop, a speech therapist who works with patients who’ve had strokes and brain injuries.
“It's taken patients who've had these things happen months to be able to be seen,” she said. “It’s really important, particularly during what we call the golden year – the first year after a stroke or a brain injury — to make the best recovery.”
UC President Michael Drake announced the hiring freeze in March. He cited proposed funding cuts from both the federal and state governments.
In an email, UC spokesperson Heather Hansen said the university was “disappointed by the union’s continued choice of striking as a negotiation tactic.”
“These strikes cost union members a full day of pay, and they cost the University system millions of dollars,” she wrote. “This is especially harmful considering the current economic and fiscal uncertainty in higher education and nationally.”
The university said it made its last, best and final offer to AFSCME on Wednesday night, meeting their demand of $25 an hour and a 5% wage increase. It’s scheduled to meet with UPTE on May 8.
