Labor Unions Support Pro-Palestine Student Protesters

Labor unions representing academic workers nationwide are taking action against universities over their responses to pro-Palestinian student protests.

University campuses have garnered national media attention nearing the school year’s end over students camping on campus, refusing to leave until the university’s administration meets their demands, including divesting from companies supporting Israel.

In many cases, protestors have faced violent police sweeps and counterprotests. Student protesters, including unionized academic workers, allege they’ve been arrested or retaliated against for their speech and activism in support of Palestine.

Some academic labor unions have filed charges against their universities, alleging unfair labor practices. Another is going a step further by threatening to strike.

Here’s how the student labor movement is helping support the pro-Palestine movement on campuses.

On April 17, student protesters established encampments at Columbia University protesting the Israel-Hamas war, which has killed over 34,000 Palestinians.

The demonstration has inspired students across the country to organize encampments at dozens of schools, including at least seven UC campuses.

Students in support of Palestine at UCLA set up their encampment April 25.

Thousands of counterprotesters rallied in front of the UCLA encampment in the days after it was established. One protest on April 28, organized by the Israeli American Council, featured speakers including Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League.

On April 30, UCLA declared the encampment unlawful and announced that those involved could face suspension or expulsion. That night, around 100 pro-Israel counterprotesters tried to breach the barricade and enter the encampment, turning violent, according to The Daily Bruin, UCLA’s independent student newspaper.

The Daily Bruin reported that university-hired security and the UC Police Department retreated as counterprotesters and other groups attacked protesters in the encampment. Los Angeles police officers did not show up until 3 a.m., according to reports.

“Late last night, a group of instigators came to Royce Quad to forcefully attack the encampment that has been established there to advocate for Palestinian rights. … However one feels about the encampment, this attack on our students, faculty, and community members was utterly unacceptable,” UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said in a statement the next morning.

The labor union representing over 48,000 academic workers across the University of California (UC) system announced May 2 that it will file unfair labor practice charges against the university system and hold a strike authorization vote over the institution’s response to pro-Palestinian student protests.

The workers — represented by the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) as UAW 4811 — allege the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) discriminated against pro-Palestinian student protesters and changed free speech codes without bargaining.

“UCLA has refused for weeks to hold constructive dialogue with students and workers who are calling for divestment and a ceasefire. Other colleges and universities, including UC Berkeley, are actively engaged in conversation rather than escalating,” Rafael Jaime, co-president of UAW 4811, said in a statement.

“UCLA’s refusal to do so has made things worse, and when protesters were attacked, campus security stood by. UCLA unilaterally took action that impacted our teaching, our work obligations, our safety, and our academic freedom.”

Members of UAW 4811 first called for a ceasefire in Gaza in October, with the UAW executive board following in December. UAW International also committed to forming a Divestment and Just Transition group that would investigate the union’s potential economic ties to the war.

On May 1, UAW President Shawn Fain condemned the response against students and academic workers participating in pro-Palestine protests and encampments, many of whom are UAW members.

“The UAW will never support the mass arrest or intimidation of those exercising their right to protest, strike, or speak out against injustice,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“We call on the powers that be to release the students and employees who have been arrested, and if you can’t take the outcry, stop supporting this war.”

The UAW 4811 executive board expressed support for the protesters who were attacked and announced that they would hold a strike authorization vote May 13-15.

The vote passed with 79% approval to authorize their Executive Board to call a “stand-up strike” if circumstances justify it. A stand-up strike would authorize certain campuses to strike at certain times, rather than collectively at once.

In a statement, the union said UC did not do enough to protect students and workers and urged the university to negotiate with organizers rather than resort to violent force.

“Should the university decide to curtail the right to participate in protected, concerted activity; discriminate against union members or political viewpoints; and create or allow threats to members’ health and safety, among others, UAW 4811 members will take any and all actions necessary to enforce our rights,” the statement read.

On top of the strike authorization vote, UAW 4811 announced it would be filing unfair labor practice charges against UC after more than 200 pro-Palestinian protesters were arrested at UCLA on the night of May 1.

The union claims UCLA is violating its “policy of content neutrality toward speech” by showing preference for individuals involved in anti-Palestine speech rather than those involved in pro-Palestine speech.

The union also alleges UCLA has changed its free speech policies without giving notice or bargaining with the union and used “brute force and police intervention” to stop students from exercising their free speech rights.

In a statement to BestColleges, the University of California Office of the President said a work stoppage would be illegal.

“… the University of California is deeply alarmed, concerned and disappointed that our UAW-represented academic employees would choose this moment of crisis to take a vote to engage in an unlawful work stoppage,” the statement said.

UC academic workers last voted on strike authorization in 2022 before embarking on the largest strike by academic workers in American history from mid-November to the end of December of that year.

UAW Local 872, which represents 3,000 graduate student workers at the University of Southern California (USC) filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge against the university.

USC arrested and charged 93 students, including union members, for their involvement in the pro-Palestinian protests. UAW Local 872 alleges the union members’ activity was legal and that USC violated federal law.

“Arresting union members in retaliation for protected concerted activity is not only abhorrent; it’s a clear violation of federal law.” a UAW Local 872 statement on X said. “The ULP charge USC is now facing is the latest in a slew of rebukes of the administration’s handling of our mass movement of students and workers.”

The statement also calls on USC to drop all 93 students’ charges and negotiate with the protesters.

“We believe the charge is without merit, and [we] intend to defend our position before the National Labor Relations Board.” a USC spokesperson said in a statement to BestColleges.

Additionally, UAW 7902, which represents over 4,000 part-time and adjunct professors, student educators, and healthcare workers at New York University and The New School filed a ULP against the New School for “violating student workers’ rights.”

Currently, non-academic student workers at the New School, including resident and student assistants, are attempting to unionize and join UAW 7902. Academic and non-academic student workers have joined forces and have been protesting in support of The New School Gaza Solidarity Encampment’s demands.

An Instagram post from the union lists the demands as “divest from death, protect protestors, academic boycott,” as well as a union election for non-academic student workers.

“It is our right as workers to demand The New School allow non-academic student workers to vote to join their academic student worker colleagues as one big union,” the union posted on social media. “By forcibly breaking up the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, university leadership has proven once again that they neither respect us as students NOR workers.”

The New School did not respond to a request for comment.