Scheduled labor strike for week of May 7

To: UC Santa Cruz Community

From: Campus Provost/Executive Vice Chancellor Marlene Tromp

The University of California has been informed that there will be a AFSCME service worker labor strike on all of its campuses and medical centers beginning at 4 a.m. on May 7 and ending at 4 a.m. on May 10.

UC and AFSCME 3299 have been unable to reach agreement on a new service worker agreement, and the union has called for a systemwide strike. The university acknowledges AFSCME’s right to engage in protected, concerted activity. However, we expect that participants in a strike will remain respectful of the rights and needs of the broader campus community and that any strike-related activities on our campus will unfold in a safe and positive manner.

At this time, we do not know how these strike activities will impact the operation of our campus.

Given that the strike falls in the midst of spring quarter, faculty should communicate via email with students to discuss contingency plans, should access to campus be limited.

Staff members should check in with supervisors and managers ahead of this day to discuss their schedules and work locations. And it is imperative that students, staff, and faculty monitor developments throughout the strike day. As a manager, supervisor, or employee, if you have questions about the strike or the impact of the strike on your working environment or your employees, please contact your Employee & Labor Relations Analyst.

Toward that end, we will be activating a number of communication channels that will enable members of the campus community to stay informed about any operational impacts caused by strike activities.

Before coming to campus on Monday, May 7, please visit ucsc.edu/advisory, where the Public Affairs Office will post information and updates. The campus's communication hotline (459-INFO) will be activated early in the morning on May 7 and KZSC Radio (88.1 FM) will broadcast news and information on an as-needed basis. We will also share information via UCSC's Twitter account.

Finally, if you haven't done so already, please make sure your contact information is current in CruzAlert, the campus's phone-based emergency notification system.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation and patience.