Thousands of U-C Medical workers across California are taking to the picket lines this week - forcing hospitals across the state to reschedule medical care.
AFSCME's John de los Angeles says the union is demanding pay increases and other reforms.
“We want UC to close this gap between the top and the bottom,” he explained. “We want UC to focus on the recruitment, retention and training of under-represented communities and to stop contracting out our jobs.”
UC's Claire Doan says union demands for six percent raises for each of the next three years are unreasonable.
“They don’t realize that it’s their own members who are paying for this,” said Doan. “They’re losing pay for joining this walkout. They’re negatively affecting services to our patients and our students and this demonstration won’t change UC’s economic situation.”
More than 700 patients at UC-Davis have had their appointments rescheduled because of the strike even though officials there say 78 percent of their workers were on the job Monday.