Judge Orders UC Academic Workers to Halt Strike, Return to Work

An Orange County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order against the University of California (UC) academic workers’ union Friday, June 7, halting its strike over the university’s response to pro-Palestinian protests.

Some 48,000 workers across the UC system are represented by the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) as UAW 4811. Workers returned to the classroom Monday, June 10, as students prepare for the end of the academic year and final exams.

We are extremely grateful for a pause in this strike so our students can complete their academic studies, Melissa Matella, associate vice president for systemwide labor relations, said in a statement. The strike would have caused irreversible setbacks to students’ academic achievements and may have stalled critical research projects in the final quarter.

In the decision, the court ordered the union to cease all strike activity, including picketing and withholding labor, until June 27, when a hearing will be held on whether to grant a permanent injunction, according to the union. However, workers only authorized a strike through June 30.

The move comes just four days after the university filed a lawsuit against the union, claiming that the strike is illegal as it violates the no-strike provision in the union’s collective bargaining agreements. Previously, UC asked the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) to end the strike but was denied twice.

UC academic workers are facing down an attack on our whole movement, Rafael Jaime, president of UAW 4811, said in a statement.

PERB, the regulatory body with the expertise to rule on labor law, has twice found no grounds to halt our strike. I want to make clear that this struggle is far from over. In the courtroom, the law is on our side and we’re prepared to keep defending our rights — and outside, 48,000 workers are ready for a long fight.

On Sunday, June 9, academic workers decided to abide by the court’s order, sending all striking employees back to work the next day.

In a message to union members, Jaime said that campuses will be hosting Know Your Rights trainings to ensure that members are equipped to assert our strong protections against overwork, discrimination, and discipline.

Jaime also stressed that the union is continuing to fight for the right to strike against the university.

Strong legal precedent supports this right, and Friday’s court order is a subversion of labor law and a circumvention of PERB’s authority, the message read.

Additionally, the union has withdrawn from the mediation PERB required. The union will shift its focus toward preparing for the upcoming PERB trial focused on the complaint the labor board filed against UC.

The complaint outlined alleged unfair labor practices committed by the university, including discrimination, unilateral changes to speech and discrimination policies, unilateral changes to teaching obligations, and discouraging membership in employee organizations.

The union called for a strike authorization vote in mid-May, alleging that UC violated members’ free speech rights when it cracked down on pro-Palestinian protests and encampments on campus.

In total, more than 30,000 UC academic workers were called to strike across six campuses.

Workers at UC Santa Cruz were the first to be called to strike on May 20. UCLA and UC Davis followed on May 28. UC San Diego and Santa Barbara workers joined on June 3, with UC Irvine following on June 5.

UC allowed violence against pro-Palestinian students and workers. They violated workers’ fundamental right to free speech and protest. They expelled workers from their homes. We will continue making our case, in the courts and on the street, until we secure justice for ourselves and our movement, Jaime said.

The court’s decision did not rule whether the 18-day strike was illegal, something that the university has strongly maintained and the union has denied.

From the beginning, we have stated this strike was illegal and a violation of our contracts’ mutually agreed upon no-strike clauses, Matella said. … UAW’s strike is unrelated to employment terms, violates the parties’ agreements, and runs contrary to established labor principles.