Education

Hundreds Of University Of California Faculty Stop Teaching In Solidarity With Striking Workers

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Hundreds of faculty members throughout the University of California system pledged to stop teaching in solidarity with academic workers striking for higher pay, the University of California Senate Faculty announced Monday.

The strike, now in its third week, was launched by 48,000 academic workers including post-docs, academic researchers, graduate student researchers, fellows and tutors to demand higher wages, increased safety measures, “disability justice,” paid child care and public transportation incentives among other issues. Faculty members recently joined to show support and pressure the university to respond to the demands.

“As long as this strike lasts, faculty across the system will be exercising their right to honor the picket line by refusing to conduct university labor up to and including submission of grades — labor that would not be possible without the labor of all other academic workers as well as university staff,” the press release read. “We do this toward bettering the working and learning conditions of all students present and future.”

In a full letter published Nov. 23, the Faculty Senate promised to avoid teaching or advising students, grading assignments or doing “labor that would otherwise be undertaken by striking workers” until the strike ends. Faculty also promised to withhold grade submissions.

“We recognize that, while education should be the University’s main mission, its core product is accreditation, which means degrees, which means grades,” the press release read. “The university doesn’t work unless we all work: cost of living adjustment now!”

On Monday, 1,500 protesters kicked off a third week of demonstrations by marching to the Office of the President in Oakland carrying picket signs reading condemning the university system for “unfair labor practice,” the UC Student-Workers Union tweeted Monday.

1500 academic workers marching to the Office of the President in Oakland! We are still going strong ✊💪 #FairUCNow #UAWonStrike pic.twitter.com/AtBAqN1t3e

— UC Student-Workers Union UAW 2865 (@uaw2865) November 28, 2022

The Student-Workers Union, Senate Faculty and the Office of the President immediately responded to the Daily Caller News Foundations request for comment.