From the exam room to the picket line. Again.
Doctors from the five University of California student health centers in Southern California are going out on strike this weekend. They're joining colleagues from UC campuses in Northern California, who began their strike Thursday.
It's their second strike this year.
The Union of American Physicians and Dentists and the UC system have been trying to hammer out their first contract. Both sides said they've made progress since January's strike, but doctors point out some issues remain unresolved.
For instance, the union said the university system has refused to share financial information. Doctors also said a shortage of staff psychiatrists is forcing students to wait up to six weeks for adequate mental health care.
UC Davis student health physician Sean Kennedy said it’s frustrating.
“Sometimes the degree of our knowledge of specific psychiatric illness is inadequate to meet the needs of the student, and we can’t get specialty care for them," Kennedy said.
In a written statement, UC officials said strikes that negatively impact students will not resolve a labor dispute.
“We urge union leaders to be reasonable and focus their energy on reaching a fair agreement," the statement read.
Student health center doctors from Northern California will end their strike on Monday. Union physicians from Southern California plan to be back on the job on Wednesday.
