UC Campuses Prepare for One-Day Labor Strike in April

The University of California is preparing for a one-day unfair labor practice strike across the UC system on April 10.

The UC system was notified of the strike by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) union for its Service and Patient Care Technical Units (SX and EX). 

The University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) union has announced that its three units – Research Support Professionals, Health Care Professionals and Technical Units (RX, HX and TX) – will strike in sympathy.

This is the fourth strike impacting the University of California system in less than a year.

The labor action will run from 12:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 10, through 11:59 p.m. that night.

Together, the striking units represent approximately 7,400 employees across UCSF, including UCSF Health hospitals and campus, as well as employees at UCSF’s partner Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center (ZSFG).

Striking employees include operating room support assistants, respiratory therapists, patient care assistants, pharmacy and hospital lab technicians, phlebotomists, financial counselors, pharmacists, social workers, counseling psychologists, nuclear medicine technologists and other health care, research support and technical employees who are integral to the care and well-being of patients and their families. The striking workers also include custodians, food service workers, shuttle drivers and security officers.

UCSF leaders said they hope that UC and the unions will reach resolution for the open contracts soon.

“Labor actions make a significant impact on the lives of our patients and their families,” said UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood, MBBS, and UCSF Health CEO Mark Laret in a joint letter to the community. “During last month’s strike, more than 800 appointments, including cancer infusion treatments, were rescheduled.”

In addition, they noted, strikes create very real tensions among colleagues.

“Whether you choose to come to work or participate on the picket lines during this labor action,” they said, “we urge everyone to conduct themselves in accordance with our UCSF PRIDE Values.”

Once again, UCSF expects disruptions to services campuswide, including UCSF Health and the UCSF Dental Center, as well as services performed by UCSF employees at ZSFG.

While UCSF is conducting extensive planning to minimize the impact of the April 10 strike, UCSF Health still expects to reschedule hundreds of appointments due to the strike, including oncology infusions.

UCSF’s primary concern will remain the safety of patients and that of the broader UCSF community. UCSF is doing everything possible to prioritize care for those who need it most and to minimize disruptions, so that patients continue to receive the high level of care they expect from UCSF Health.

For the April 10 strike, the UCSF Emergency Department will remain open, as will most ambulatory clinics. The cafeterias at the Parnassus Heights and Mission Bay campuses will be open as usual. Other eateries and retailers are staffed by third-party vendors and are expected to be open. However, both farmers’ markets at Parnassus and Mission Bay will be closed during the strike, and the Pub restaurant in the Rutter Center at the Mission Bay campus will also be closed.   

Transportation Services will operate a limited shuttle schedule that includes changes to some pick up and drop off times, and some service disruptions are expected, but shuttle locations will remain the same. 

The limited schedule is posted in shuttle stops, on the UCSF mobile app, on the Transportation Services website, and on digital signs. Transportation “ambassadors” will be available at major shuttle stop locations to provide information to passengers. If an urgent shuttle-related issue arises during the strike, contact Transportation Services’ Customer Service Center at 415-476-4646 (GOGO).