United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 4811 — the UC graduate student union — conducted a Last Chance Picket across all UC campuses on March 12. At the picket action, organizers announced the possibility of a strike as early as March 16, but the union reached a tentative agreement with UC on March 14.
Representing 48,000 UC academic student employees, graduate student researchers and postdoctoral workers, the union has been negotiating a new contract with the UC since July 2025. Union members overwhelmingly voted to authorize an unfair labor practice (ULP) strike in February 2026, allowing bargaining team members to call a strike if demands were not met.
At UC Irvine, about 200 union members assembled in front of Langson Library at noon despite high temperatures on March 12. Members from RPSP-UAW — representing research and public service professionals (RPSP) — and SSAP-UAW — representing student services and advising professionals (SSAP) — demonstrated alongside academic student employees. Both unions also reached a tentative agreement after negotiating with the UC since July 2025 and October 2025 respectively, on March 13.
Organizers and speakers addressed the assembled crowd, recalling prior union strikes in 2022 and 2024.
“So today’s rallies are a coordinated [statewide] effort to send a message to UC management that enough is enough,” Mark Gradoni, a graduate student researcher studying history, said in opening remarks. “Across the state, UC has established itself as one of the nation’s leaders in union-busting, worker intimidation and stalling at the bargaining table.”
The union charged the UCs with a number of unfair labor practices at multiple campuses, including unilateral policy and pay changes, more than 50 failures to supply information related to bargaining and the arrest of two union members at UCLA. The union members were later released after it was determined they had not committed a crime.
“We’ve simply had enough of watching management engage in these unfair labor practices or ULPs,” organizer Marquez Balingit, a graduate student researcher in the materials science and engineering department, said during opening remarks. “And for months and months, we publicly voiced our demands and called for the UC to take the side of their workers.”
Initial bargaining demands from UAW 4811 called for fair pay, job security, redefined workloads and protections for international student workers and immigrants. These came amid a climate of uncertainty surrounding federal funding, protests and immigration crackdowns.
According to UAW bargaining updates, there was movement on workloads and class sizes, but economic demands over pay, job security and immigration were points of contention before a mediated agreement was reached.
UC Office of the President (UCOP) spokesperson Heather Hansen said that UCs have been bargaining in good faith with UAW 4811, with teams “working around the clock in mediation to move negotiations forward,” in an emailed statement to media.
“We strongly disagree with the union’s unfair labor practice claims, which can be filed during negotiations before they are reviewed or determined to have merit. Real progress happens at the bargaining table, and that is where UC remains focused,” Hansen said.
Following opening remarks, the crowd circled in front of the flagpoles on Ring Mall, chanting “What’s disgusting? Union busting! What’s outrageous? UC Wages!” and “UC, UC, you can’t hide! We can see your greedy side!” for about 30 minutes, before marching to the physical sciences quad.
After the workers circled around the physical sciences quad, more speeches were given in the area between Reines Hall and Rowland Hall.
Invited speaker Ada Briceño, a local union leader and UAW-endorsed candidate for California State Assembly, addressed union members.
“Let’s be clear, University of California is only world class because of you … And while you love your job and deeply care about your students and your research and your communities, you are unequivocal about standing up for yourselves and your families,” Briceño said.
Closing out the demonstration at about 1:30 p.m., organizers read out a message from the UAW 4811 bargaining team in Sacramento, Calif., which declared strike dates would be determined and announced no later than March 15.
“We told them many times that this picket today was their last chance. UC management can end this today … But until management changes course, we are preparing right now to walk off the job and go on a ULP strike,” Balingit said.
The day after the last chance picket, UAW 4811, SSAP-UAW and RPSP-UAW reached tentative agreements with the UC. Specific details about the tentative agreements have not yet been released, but no strikes have been announced or called. Union members will hold a contract ratification vote from March 17-20 for all three bargaining units.
“We are grateful to achieve agreements that mutually benefit the University’s academic student employees and new staff units,” UCOP Associate Vice President for Systemwide Employee and Labor Relations Missy Matella said in a press release.
“These agreements reflect the tireless work of the bargaining teams on both sides of the table that remained committed to productive, good-faith negotiations throughout bargaining … We are deeply grateful for the many individuals who contributed their time, expertise and persistence to help bring these negotiations to a successful conclusion,” Matella said.
UAW 4811 highlighted raises of up to 45% for academic student employees, the elimination of pay disparities, protections for international workers, and increased child and dependent healthcare benefits. If ratified, the new contract for academic student employees will expire on Dec. 31, 2029.
SSAP and RPSP unit announcements also focused on a new step wage system, increases of at least 27.8% over four years, unreasonable workload preventions and protections for hybrid and remote working. The tentative contract for SSAPs and RPSPs will expire on June 30, 2030.
“Because tens of thousands of ASEs organized, took action and stood together, we won a tentative agreement that sets a new standard for higher ed contracts across the country,” a UAW 4811 announcement read. “The Bargaining Committee recommends a YES vote on ratification.”
Hugo Lai is a News Staff Writer. He can be reached at hlai7@uci.edu.
