UC health care workers authorize union to call a strike

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_9360852

The Associated Press
Article Launched: 05/23/2008 01:57:22 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES—Health care workers at University of California medical facilities have voted to authorize a strike, union leaders said Friday.

The vote means the 20,000 members of Local 3299 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees could walk off their jobs 10 days after the union notifies the UC system that a strike has been called, union President Lakesha Harrison said.

"An overwhelming majority of our workers feel they have no option left but to go on strike," Harrison said. "It's a hardship, but it's the only way to get the UC executives to make this a priority."

Contract negotiations have lasted about 10 months and focused on wages. Previous contracts expired earlier this year.

Officials at the University of California, Los Angeles released a statement on behalf of all 10 UC campuses, saying managers, supervisors and contract employees would make sure there was no interruption in health care services.

"While UCLA respects the free speech rights of all employees, the campus is obligated to maintain essential services and to provide a productive and safe work environment for all employees," the statement said.

Harrison said the UC health care system made a $371 million profit last year, even as many of its workers qualified for public assistance because of their paltry paychecks.

Workers earn an average of 25 percent less than employees at other hospitals, with some being paid as little as $10
an hour, she said.

The union represents radiology, respiratory and operating room technicians; cooks, food servers and caterers; and custodians, groundskeepers and other maintenance workers in the UC health care system.