Chancellor Letter to UCSF: Notice of Strike

By Sam Hawgood and Mark R. Laret on April 27, 2018

Dear Members of the UCSF Community,

We have received notice from several unions that they will strike or participate in a sympathy strike at UCSF and across the University of California (UC) system beginning the week of May 7, ending May 10, 2018. Please read below for more details.

We value our employees and respect their rights to representation and freedom of speech; that said, striking is a serious matter, especially when it directly affects vital public services such as patient care. Every day, our patients entrust their lives to us, and in turn, we are responsible for ensuring that they receive the highest quality care in a safe and secure environment.

At all times, our top priorities are ensuring the safety and security of the entire UCSF community – faculty, staff, learners, patients and visitors.

We hope for an amicable resolution to the ongoing labor negotiations that have been underway for the past year with six unions. The UC Office of the President is conducting negotiations on behalf of the entire UC system, which is committed to reaching a negotiated agreement on compensation and benefits with all unions.

We have created a contingency plan to support our ongoing work and to minimize the strike’s impact. Even so, we expect disruptions to various services across the campus, particularly at UCSF Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, and the UCSF Dental Center.

More information about operational impacts and important bargaining updates will be posted at the In the Know website next week.

This strike will be challenging for all of us, and it is important that we support our patients, visitors, and one another. We can accomplish this by continuing to work together as a team in our shared purpose and commitment to excellence across our core missions of patient care, research, and education.

We urge everyone to live our PRIDE Values of exemplifying professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence in our interactions with each other. Thank you for your contributions to UCSF and UCSF Health.

Sincerely,


Sam Hawgood, MBBS
Chancellor
Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock Distinguished Professor

Mark R. Laret
President and CEO
UCSF Health

***

Details About the Strike

AFSCME

  • The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Local 3299, notified UC that its service members intend to strike across the UC system for a period of 72 hours beginning at 4 a.m. on Monday, May 7, and concluding on Thursday, May 10, at 3:59 a.m. AFSCME’s patient care technical workers intend to strike in sympathy during this same time period.
  • AFSCME service workers include custodians, food and hospital service workers, shuttle bus drivers and others in the service field.
  • AFSCME patient care technical workers include respiratory therapists, patient care assistants, pharmacy technicians, hospital lab techs and phlebotomists.

UPTE-CWA

  • University Professional and Technical Employees (UPTE) Local 9119 notified UC of its intention to engage in a sympathy strike and picketing activity on or after Tuesday, May 8, at 4 a.m. and ending on Thursday, May 10, at 3:59 a.m.
  • UPTE employees include health care professionals, research support professionals and technical employees bargaining units.

CNA

  • The California Nurses Association (CNA) intends to engage in a sympathy strike, picketing, and other activity in support of AFSCME beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, May 8, and ending at 7 a.m. on Thursday, May 10.