Dive Brief:
- A California judge ordered a temporary halt to labor strikes at the University of California on Friday, after the system sued the organizing union for breach of contract.
- Members of UAW 4811, which represents 48,000 workers across the university system, first went on strike May 20 over the University of California’s handling of pro-Palestinian protesters and counterprotesters. The walkouts began on UC Santa Cruz's campus and eventually spread to six of the system's 10 campuses.
- The ruling comes after the California Public Employment Relations Board twice denied the University of California's request for an injunction to stop the strikes. The board is still overseeing an unfair labor practice charge against UAW 4811 levied by the system.
Dive Insight:
A number of labor unions have backed pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses. But UAW 4811's protests have gained the most national attention, in large part because of the University of California's prominence and because of its strong response.
The union, which represents academic and graduate student researchers, postdoctoral scholars and student employees, said it is not seeking to negotiate on behalf of protesters. But it is calling on the University of California to negotiate with protesters in good faith.
Last week, the system sued UAW 4811 in Orange County Superior Court, seeking a temporary restraining order to stop the strikes.
"Without immediate injunctive relief, the University will suffer irreparable harm to its operations, as well as the educational experience and academic progress of its students,” the University of California said in a statement.
The lawsuit also cited a no-strike provision in the union’s collective bargaining agreement. Judge Randall Sherman approved the system's request for a temporary restraining order shortly after the filing.
Melissa Matella, the University of California's associate vice president for systemwide labor relations, praised the ruling Friday.
“We respect the advocacy and progressive action towards issues that matter to our community and our community’s right to engage in lawful free speech activities — activities that continue to occur across the system," Matella said in a statement.
"However, UAW’s strike is unrelated to employment terms, violates the parties’ agreements, and runs contrary to established labor principles," Matella said.
But the same day, UAW 4811 said it would continue its efforts, calling the legal intervention the system's "latest attempt to avoid accountability."
"The law is on our side and we’re prepared to keep defending our rights," the union said on social media Friday.
The University of California has sought outside intervention to stop the strikes since UAW 4811 voted to authorize a walkout last month. In legal filings, it argued the strike would hurt students and stall academic research as the semester came to a close.
The state's employment relations board denied the system's requests to intervene, but did issue an unfair labor practice charge against UAW 4811 in May at the system’s behest. UAW 4811 has until mid-June to respond.
The system said Friday it will continue to pursue its unfair labor practice charge against the union in court and with the state Public Employment Relations Board to "protect labor peace across the system."
