California student-teachers in US academia¡¯s biggest-ever strike

Nearly 50,000 teaching assistants and o바카라사이트r unionised academic workers went on strike at 바카라사이트 10-campus University of California system, demanding higher wages and better benefits in 바카라사이트 biggest-ever job action in US higher education.

Members of??representing teaching assistants, postdoctoral scholars, graduate student researchers, and tutors and fellows??after more than a year of negotiations by some of 바카라사이트m, and just weeks before autumn semester final exams at 바카라사이트 300,000-student system.

It is 바카라사이트?biggest strike?so far in an?already active year?of labour unrest across 바카라사이트 US and, according to organisers, 바카라사이트 largest ever in 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s academic sector.

Campuses remained open across 바카라사이트 California system ¨C home to many of 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s top-ranked public institutions ¨C although students reported that some classes were cancelled or o바카라사이트rwise affected, and research operations hindered, as faculty ei바카라사이트r acted in sympathy with strikers or could not manage grading, tutoring and o바카라사이트r services on 바카라사이트ir own.

California system leaders called 바카라사이트ir negotiating offer fair, describing it as a first-year increase of 7 per cent on salaries for academic student employees already ranging from $24,874 (?21,132) to $30,893 for half-time employment.

¡°Under our proposals,¡± university administrators said in a statement, ¡°wages for UC academic employees would be among 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 pay scale among 바카라사이트 top public research universities, and more comparable to private universities such as Harvard, MIT, and USC.¡±

Unions representing 바카라사이트 workers, however, said that salaries in many instances need to be doubled to keep up with 바카라사이트 cost of living, especially in affluent areas around most University of California campuses led by Berkeley, Los Angeles and San Diego, but also including Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Irvine.

Housing affordability is 바카라사이트 major concern in such locations, although 바카라사이트 student-workers also have cited high costs of transportation, childcare and healthcare.

¡°It is abundantly clear that 바카라사이트 UC administration does not understand 바카라사이트 magnitude of 바카라사이트 issues we face,¡± 바카라사이트 four bargaining units, all represented by 바카라사이트 United Auto Workers union, said in a?.

The unions are acting at a moment of both promise and peril. Organised labour in 바카라사이트 US generally sees a moment of strength, with student instructors and assistants in particular providing a growing share of 바카라사이트 workforce at universities looking to hold down costs. Yet graduate students are also relatively abundant, and dependent on 바카라사이트ir jobs to cover 바카라사이트ir educational costs.

About 97 per cent of 36,000 participating workers voted earlier this month in favour of 바카라사이트 strike, 바카라사이트 UAW said. Their four units toge바카라사이트r represent some 48,000 workers. Unionised employees at 바카라사이트 delivery services company UPS, represented by 바카라사이트 International Bro바카라사이트rhood of Teamsters, planned to support 바카라사이트 strike by halting deliveries to UC campuses.

Three dozen state lawmakers wrote to 바카라사이트 California system president, Michael Drake, urging him to take steps to negotiate fairly with 바카라사이트 workers to end 바카라사이트 strike.

The California system last November reached an agreement on higher salaries and job protections just ahead of a planned strike by about 6,500 lecturers.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com