The Union of American Physicians and Dentists and the UC system have been trying to hammer out their first contract for more than a year.
Some 150 union members protested in front of UC student health centers statewide Tuesday, to call attention to what they say are UC's unfair labor practices.
At UCSD, five full-time and three part-time doctors, along with supporters, picketed on the Library Walk near the Geisel Library.
The union accuses UC of refusing to share essential information. UC San Diego physician Amol Doshi said the other side needs to be more forthcoming.
“Really what we want is access to information to allow us to bargain fairly," Doshi said. "We feel like it’s sort of a black box, we don’t have any access to the details of the financial information, the funding streams.”
Doshi said the union and UC also remain far apart on salaries and staffing issues.
“UCSD has two part-time psychiatrists on campus," he said. "We don’t feel that that’s adequate staffing for a campus of this size, with well over 25,000 students.”
UC officials declined to discuss specifics. But they maintained the best way to resolve differences is at the bargaining table, not through a strike.
Despite the protests, UC student health centers remained open Tuesday with substitute medical staff.
