American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 canceled a planned strike on May 14 after reaching a tentative agreement with UC officials on May 15.
University Professional and Technical Employees CWA Local 9119, another UC labor union, and the California Nurses Association would have joined the open-ended strike, affecting all five UC medical centers and 10 campuses. According to a 2026 UCnet census of service workers (SX) and Patient Care Technical workers (EX) workers, there are 6,936 workers under AFSCME Local 3299 who work at UCI facilities.
AFSCME Local 3299 is the first employee union of the University of California (UC), representing SX, EX and Skilled Craft workers (K7), among others. Contract negotiations with UC officials began in January 2024, where Local 3299 negotiators pushed for a plan centered around improving livable wages, affordable healthcare, housing and safe staffing benefits in response to increases to affordable living costs.
“This process took persistence and involved great sacrifices by every single one of our members,” AFSCME Local 3299 President Michael Avant said in an issued statement. “The tentative agreements we’ve reached ensure they will be better off, and better able to keep pace with rising costs so they can build a better future for their families.”
The previous contract between Local 3299 and UC for EX workers lasted from February 2020 to July 2024 and from January 2020 through October 2024 for SX workers.
The May 15 deal includes a proposal to increase the minimum wage for workers from $25 in 2025 to $26.50 in 2026. The deal also plans to incorporate layoff protections and other benefits related to wages, healthcare and staffing.
“We’re glad to have reached an agreement with AFSCME that recognizes the important work these employees do every day across UC’s campuses and health centers. This contract delivers meaningful pay increases and addresses some of the real affordability pressures our employees are facing, while allowing us to move forward together focused on UC’s mission of patient care, teaching and research,” Missy Matella, UC Associate Vice President for Systemwide Employee and Labor Relations, said in a statement to New University.
While the union’s board encouraged members to vote yes on the tentative contract, many members expressed their disappointment in the contract’s plans for housing, parking and shift differentials.
“Right to negotiate on call and differential pay?!?” commented a Local 3299 member with the username @tattooedtink, under a now comment-limited post announcing the agreement. “Surgical tech here…..we deserve the SAME on call and standby pay the RNs get!! We give up our nights and weekends too!!!”
Other union members were frustrated about the timing of the agreement, feeling that the union suddenly settled before the strike.
“How are workers expected to trust a contract agreement announced at 1 AM – just hours before a strike – after members spent months demanding real movement at the bargaining table?” asked @omarfelixlaguna, another member, under a different Instagram post. “Many workers feel like the agreement did not move the contract forward enough to reflect the sacrifices, workload and rising cost of living workers face every day.”
While AFSCME Local 3299 was unable to address housing concerns in the tentative contract, a petition with 1.3 million signatures allowed the issue of housing for UC workers to be put on the November California ballot as the California State University Staff First-Time Homebuyer Down Payment Loan Program Initiative.
According to AFSCME Local 3299, “California voters can support down payment loans for UC frontline workers, helping our members be one step closer to homeownership and housing security” by voting yes on the initiative.
UCI employees under AFSCME Local 3299 can vote from May 19-21 at 20 voting locations across UCI’s facilities.
Corinna Chin is an Arts & Entertainment Assistant Editor. She can be reached at corinnac@uci.edu.
Edited by Tracy Sandoval