Strike News - Part 2

Yesterday, we noted that UCLA optometrists, and optometrists at other UC campuses, were holding a two-day strike - Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Bruin has more information:

In a press release, UPTE-CWA said it decided to strike after the union filed an unfair labor charge against the UC on Jan. 10, alleging that the University failed to provide information needed for negotiations to the union in a timely manner, bargained in bad faith and refused to negotiate over placement of individual optometrists.

...A spokesperson for the UC Office of the President said in an emailed statement that the University is committed to good-faith bargaining with UPTE-CWA. However, they added in the statement that they believe the union’s actions are unlawful under its collective bargaining agreement no-strike clause, which prevents work stoppages and requires the union to prevent actions that would impede its contract.

The UC filed an unfair labor charge of its own with the California Public Employment Relations Board on Friday, alleging unlawful behavior...

Full story at https://dailybruin.com/2024/02/06/we-put-the-see-in-the-uc-optometrists-picket-against-unfair-labor-practices.

For those unfamiliar with the nuances of labor law, a union can strike to protest an unfair labor practice being committed by an employer, even in the face of a no-strike clause in its contract. In this case, the union is saying that UC is withholding information necessary for good faith bargaining - which is required under labor law. UC disputes this allegation. PERB is the final judge on whether there was such withholding of information, i.e., whether the strike is indeed an unfair labor practice strike. As a practical matter, by the time PERB gets around to deciding whether the work stoppage was an unfair labor practice strike or an economic strike, the strike will long be over. That fact doesn't mean there is no cost to strikers who presumably potentially lose two day's pay. And of course, there is pressure on UC Health to come to an agreement due to the cost of the interruption. 

As blog readers will know, the UC Regents' Health Services Committee will be meeting at UCLA on Feb. 14, so there may be public comment statements and protests at that time by the union.