Today begins Day 2 of a five-day service worker walkout on the 10 University of California campuses. Despite a court injunction ordering them not to strike, about 8,500 people statewide protested as part of an ongoing wage dispute between the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union and the university. The strike is primarily over the wages of service employees like cooks, custodians, and bus drivers, but patient-care technical employees, who are also represented by the union, have also walked out in solidarity. The union represents more than 20,000 UC workers in total.
Because it is summer term, the walkout is not particularly affecting students. At UC-Santa Barbara, where the Board of Regents will hold its meeting this week, 90 workers walked out, the Daily Nexus reports. At UC-Berkeley, the walkout has affected local bus routes and slowed construction work, but no buildings have been closed so far, causing only "minimal disruption overall," the Daily Californian writes. Approximately 400 members and supporters picketed on campus yesterday.
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