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# University health care workers authorize strike
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/university-health-care-workers-authorize-strike/
- Published: 2008-05-24T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-24T19:42:14.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Health, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*UCLA officials vow to continue service*

*By DAILY PRESS STAFF*

Daily Press Staff

LOS ANGELES — Union leaders say health care workers at University of California medical facilities have voted to authorize a strike, but UCLA officials are committed to maintaining services at Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital during any work stoppage.

Union President Lakesha Harrison says the vote announced Friday means the 20,000 members of Local 3299 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees could walk off their jobs 10 days after the union notifies the UC system that a strike has been called.

Officials at the University of California, Los Angeles released a statement on behalf of all 10 UC campuses, saying managers, supervisors and contract employees would make sure there is no interruption in health care services.

The union represents approximately 5,425 employees at UCLA, including 3,200 patient care technical workers, most at UCLA Medical Center, and 2,225 service workers, most on the main campus. Among the patient care technical workers are radiology, respiratory and operating room technicians. Among the service workers are cooks, servers and other food service and catering personnel; custodians, groundskeepers and other facilities and maintenance employees; campus shuttle drivers, information kiosk and other transportation services workers; as well as food service, custodial and housekeeping personnel at UCLA medical facilities in Westwood and Santa Monica, and their affiliated medical school.

Contract negotiations have lasted about 10 months and focused on wages. Union officials say contracts expired earlier this year.

Labor contracts for the patient care technical works and service workers are negotiated separately by the University of California Office of the President on behalf of the 10 UC campuses. Contracts for the union’s separate bargaining units expired earlier this year, and UC and the union have been unable to agree on terms. UC is involved in post-fact-finding mediation with the union and a state mediator and is hopefulof a resolution on the remaining issues in the near future.

The union represents radiology, respiratory and operating room technicians; cooks, food servers and caterers; and custodians, groundskeepers and other maintenance workers in the UC health care system.

Associated Press contributed to this report.

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*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 24, 2008.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/052408.pdf?ref=smdp.com)