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UC Walkout Set

Friday October 03, 2003

The union representing the 10,000 teaching assistants, readers and tutors of the University of California system announced late Thursday that they would stage a one-day walkout Friday to protest what they called unfair labor practices at the school. 

United Auto Workers Local 2865 and the university began negotiations in March, the union said, and in the intervening months the local has filed 64 unfair labor practice charges alleging that the university has been bargaining in bad faith. 

The action comes only two days after Robert Dynes was installed as the new UC President. Local 2865 President Dan Lawson said “I hope it’s not a sign of things to come.” 

The union claims that UC caused talks to break down when the UAW contract expired on Sept. 30 by attempting demand that the UAW local abandon any right to support lawful picket lines thrown up by other UC unions. 

“ It is unacceptable to single out the UAW and treat us differently,” said Rajan Mehta, a UAW Bargaining Team member from UC Berkeley. “Moreover, if the UC administration truly wants to stop sympathy strikes, it should stop its unlawful and uncooperative labor relations practices that give rise to primary strikes.”