The University of California system reached a tentative agreement with certain striking academic workers Tuesday afternoon after nearly three-weeks of demonstrations for higher wages, according to a press release issued by the University of California Office of the President.
Although not yet ratified, the agreement included salary increases, eight-weeks of paid family leave or “family care and bonding,” a provision for better working conditions and paid public transportation for postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers. Postdoctoral scholars also received up to $2,500 in child care reimbursements.
The contracts will be effective through Sept. 30, 2027, according to the press release.
The tentative agreement followed a pledge made Monday by hundreds of faculty members throughout the University of California system to stop teaching in solidarity with the strike.
The strike was launched by 48,000 academic workers including post-docs, academic researchers, graduate student researchers, fellows and tutors to demand higher wages, increased safety measures, “disability justice,” paid child care and public transportation incentives among other issues. Faculty members recently joined to show support and pressure the university to respond to the demands.
“As long as this strike lasts, faculty across the system will be exercising their right to honor the picket line by refusing to conduct university labor up to and including submission of grades — labor that would not be possible without the labor of all other academic workers as well as university staff,” the press release read. “We do this toward bettering the working and learning conditions of all students present and future.”
In a full letter published Nov. 23, the Faculty Senate promised to avoid teaching or advising students, grading assignments or doing “labor that would otherwise be undertaken by striking workers” until the strike ends. Faculty also promised to withhold grade submissions. (RELATED: Tenured Professors Strike At University After Contract Negotiations Fail)
“We recognize that, while education should be the University’s main mission, its core product is accreditation, which means degrees, which means grades,” the press release read. “The university doesn’t work unless we all work: cost of living adjustment now!”
On Monday, 1,500 protesters kicked off a third week of demonstrations by marching to the Office of the President in Oakland carrying picket signs reading condemning the university system for “unfair labor practice,” the UC Student-Workers Union tweeted Monday.
1500 academic workers marching to the Office of the President in Oakland! We are still going strong ✊💪 #FairUCNow #UAWonStrike pic.twitter.com/AtBAqN1t3e
— UC Student-Workers Union UAW 2865 (@uaw2865) November 28, 2022
UC-Student Workers Union UAW 2865 tweeted after the tentative agreement was announced that the scholars and researchers “will be on the picket lines with graduate workers until our agreements are ratified.”
After the exciting news about tentative agreements for Academic Researchers & Postdocs, let’s take a moment to remember what this is all about.
ARs & Postdocs will be on the picket lines with graduate workers until our agreements are ratified. https://t.co/oiwcCGDag1
— UAW Local 5810 (@UAW5810) November 29, 2022
The Student-Workers Union, Senate Faculty and the Office of the President did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment.
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