Academic workers at UCLA and UC Davis are poised to strike beginning Tuesday, alleging their workers' rights have been violated by University of California actions during pro-Palestinian protests and encampment crackdowns. United Auto Workers Local 4811, which represents 48,000 graduate student teaching assistants, tutors, researchers and others at the 10 UC campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, launched the rolling strike last week at UC Santa Cruz.
” Demands of union leaders include the protection of free speech on campus; an amnesty for all academic employees, students, student groups, faculty and staff who face disciplinary action or arrest due to participation in protests; and divestment by the university from “weapons manufacturers, military contractors, and companies profiting from Israel’s war on Gaza.