Professors urged to strike at UCLA and UC Davis in response to campus protests

The labor union that represents thousands of academic employees in the University of California school system has called on its members to strike at UCLA and UC Davis.

The union, UAW 4811, is trying to organize its members at the two schools to “walk off the job” on Tuesday, May 28, following the lead of UC Santa Cruz workers this week over school responses to pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

The strike was announced the same day that UCLA Chancellor Gene Block testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee regarding campus antisemitism and his response to protests and encampments there.

According to the union, which is part of the United Auto Workers, school administration “mishandled and escalated the situation by taking unlawful actions that cut to the heart of our collective bargaining agreements” in its response to protesters, saying free speech rights were infringed and taking issue with some union members who were arrested in connection to the protests.

UAW 4811 represents nearly 50,000 graduate students across the UC system’s 10 campuses who work in various capacities, including as researchers, teaching assistants, and tutors.

University system officials asked for a stop to the walk-out on Thursday, filing a formal injunction with the California Public Employment Relations Board. That request was denied. However, the CPERB noted that the union did not “provide adequate advance notice of its work stoppage.”

The encampment at UCLA descended into violence in late April, when counter-protesters appeared to instigate clashes with those in the encampment by starting to dismantle the encampment forcibly. Violence ensued for hours, with both protesters and counterprotesters taking part in the chaos before police finally arrived to break it up.

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Law enforcement arrested around 200 people and took down the encampment. During his testimony, Block admitted the police should have acted more quickly. Earlier this week, UCLA police chief John Thomas was temporarily reassigned amid criticism of the slow response.

Pro-Palestinian protesters returned to the site of the encampment Thursday but were met by a heavy police presence adorned in riot gear and a statement from the university that read, “Demonstrators have been informed that if they do not disperse, they will face arrest and possible disciplinary action, as well as an order to stay away from campus for 7 days.”