University Of California Nurses, Service Workers Strike For 3rd Day
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Thousands of University of California nurses, pharmacists and other medical staff joined walkouts by service workers again Wednesday, forcing medical centers to close and reschedule thousands of appointments and surgeries.
The three-day strike was called last week by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 when the union and the university couldn't agree on a new contract.
The union represents 25,000 cooks, truck drivers, gardeners and other service workers.
Another 29,000 medical staff joined the sympathy strike Tuesday and Wednesday.
University officials say service workers are already paid at or above market rates and cannot justify the nearly 20 percent raise over three years the union demands.
The UC system includes five medical centers and three national laboratories and has 190,000 faculty and staff and 238,000 students.
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