Agenda Item B.4
CONSENT CALENDAR
Meeting Date: December 6, 2022
____________________________________________________________
TO: Mayor and Councilmembers
FROM: Robert Nisbet, City Manager
CONTACT: Ryan Kintz, Assistant to the City Manager
SUBJECT: Letter to University of California President Regarding Unfair Labor Practice Strikes of 48,000 UAW-represented Academic Workers
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve and authorize the Mayor to send a letter to the University of California President, Michael Drake regarding unfair labor practice strikes of 48,000 U nited Auto Workers - represented academic workers.
BACKGROUND:
In early November of 2022, over 35,000 Academic Workers constituting 75% of the total United Auto Workers (UAW) -represented workforce from all 10 University of California campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab voted to call for strikes if circumstances justified. On November 14, 48,000 UAW-represented Academic Workers began Unfair Labor Practice strikes.
On November 22, 2022, Councilmember Kyriaco requested staff prepare a letter calling on the U niversity of California to offer a fair contract and engage in fair bargaining practices with UAW. Councilmember Richards supported this request.
DISCUSSION:
In response to the request by Councilmembers Kyriaco and Richards staff has prepared a letter to the University of California President, Michael Drake, urging the University of California to quickly act to address the serious disruption that this multi -unit strike is causing the University and surrounding communities by immediately ceasing all of its unfair labor practices and bargain in good faith to reach agreement with UAW Academic Workers in all four bargaining units (Attachment 1).
1 Meeting Date: December 6, 2022
FISCAL IMPACTS:
There are no new costs associated with the letter.
ALTERNATIVES:
The City Council may not approve of the letter.
Reviewed By: Legal Review By: Approved By:
___________________ ___________________ _________________ Kristine Schmidt Megan Garibaldi Robert Nisbet
Assistant City Manager City Attorney City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter to University of California President Regarding Unfair Labor Practice Strikes of 48,000 UAW-represented Academic Workers
2 ATTACHMENT 1
Letter to University of California President Regarding Unfair Labor Practice Strikes of 48,000 UAW-represented Academic Workers
3 CITY COUNCIL
Paula Perotte
Mayor
Stuart Kasdin
Mayor Pro Tempore
Roger S. Aceves
Councilmember
James Kyriaco
Councilmember
Kyle Richards
Councilmember
CITY MANAGER
Robert Nisbet
December 6, 2022
Michael Drake, President
University of California
Office of the President
1111 Franklin Street
Oakland, CA 94607
Re: Act Now to Resolve the Unfair Labor Practice Strikes of 48,000 UAW- represented Academic Workers at UC
Dear President Michael Drake:
The City of Goleta is urging you and the University of California (UC) to avert strikes by refraining from unfair labor practices and bargaining in good faith with the 48,000 UAW-represented UC Academic Workers.
Our City Council is concerned that 35,000 Academic Workers constituting three- fourths of the total UAW -represented workforce at all 10 UC campuses and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab voted to call for a strike on November 2, 2022 in response to the UC’s alleged refusal to bargain in good faith. To avert the strike and the massive disruption that this will cause for the UC system and for the surrounding communities, the City of Goleta is urging you to immediately address allegation of unfair labor practices and bargain in good faith with UAW Academic Workers in all four bargaining units.
The 48,000 UAW -represented Academic Workers — Academic Researchers, Postdoctoral Scholars, Academic Student Employees and Student Researchers — perform the bulk of the teaching and research at the UC system.
Their talent, innovation, and labor contribute greatly to the University’s mission and its ability to secure funding. In FY 2021-22, they received $5.1 billion from the state in instructional and research funding.
The UC is one of the top public university systems and research institutions in the world, in no small part because of its ability to attract the most talented scholars from a wide array of backgro unds. But the UC system cannot live up to its mission and reputation if its own employees do not feel respected.
We are concerned that since UAW began negotiating with the UC last year, the union has filed over 20 Unfair Labor Practices against the University, with many of these resulting in Complaints issued by the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). It has been alleged that UC’s unlawful tactics are preventing the UAW from reaching agreements on core issues that address improving gender and other types of equity in academia, including compensation that reflects the 4 value of workers’ contributions, transit benefits that help fight climate change, paid family leave, and job security. These priorities will help the UC recruit and retain a diverse workf orce that reflects the population of California and includes first -generation academics, immigrants, and other historically excluded groups, in line with the diversity goals of the City of Goleta.
As one of California’s largest employers, and a major empl oyer of City of Goleta residents, the UC has not only the opportunity but also the obligation to be a leader in setting industry standards for academia, thus leading the way for other public employers. On behalf of the City Council of the City of Goleta I urge the University of California to come to the table with the UAW’s four bargaining units in good faith to improve the working conditions of all Academic Workers and implement benefits and compensation commensurate with the immense value they provide the University.
Failing to do so, UC is risk s mass disruption and losing the talent that has earned UC its prestigious reputation.
Sincerely,
Paula Perotte
Mayor, City of Goleta
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