UCSF workers move to unionize - with potential statewide strike on the way

"There's a lot of exciting energy in the labor movement right now, and especially at UC. The creation of the Communications, Marketing, and Sales Professionals Union (CoMaS) brings the total number of UC workers represented by UAW to over 60,000, with about 1,600 people at UCSF joining one of the three new unions in the past 12 months."

"The three unions have similar demands: higher wages, increased job security, protections for international workers and more flexible work arrangements. More than that, union leaders say this is also a way to defend their workers as attacks coming from the federal government have meant budget cuts, layoffs and hiring freezes."

University of California workers are responding to federal threats to higher education by forming unions. Communications, marketing, and sales workers voted 82 percent to join United Auto Workers, marking the third major UC unionization in recent months. This brings total new UC-UAW members to 12,000 across three unions formed since April. The three unions share common demands including higher wages, job security, international worker protections, and flexible work arrangements. Union leaders frame unionization as a defensive strategy against federal budget cuts, layoffs, and hiring freezes resulting from administration attacks on higher education and diversity initiatives.

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