UC Doctors Call ULP Strike for January 27th

News provided by

Union of American Physicians and Dentists

Jan 16, 2015, 04:35 ET

OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today the Union of American Physicians and Dentists (UAPD) gave the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) notice that doctors employed by its student health centers will hold a one-day Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike on Tuesday, January 27th, starting at 7:30 am.

The student health doctors, who organized their union with UAPD in 2013, are currently bargaining with UC for a first contract. In a series of membership meetings in December, over 90% of the student health doctors voted in favor of striking.

UAPD has filed multiple ULP charges against UC with the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB). UC's behavior has made it impossible to reach a fair agreement at the negotiating table, even after a full year of negotiations, 41 bargaining sessions, and the UAPD team's continuous effort to find middle ground.

"A ULP strike is the only way to compel UC to follow the laws that govern bargaining," explained UAPD President Stuart A. Bussey, M.D. "Unfortunately, UC has a history of disrespecting workers during negotiations, and we're no exception to that."

Charles McDaniel, M.D., a psychiatrist who works at UCLA, said, "We organized a union so that UC would respect doctors, and take seriously its obligation to provide health care, including adequate mental health services, to the students. We have been trying to reach an agreement at the bargaining table, but UC's ongoing unfair labor practices are standing in the way of that."

Further details of the strike, including picket line locations and a schedule for rallies across UC's ten campuses, will be announced next week.

SOURCE Union of American Physicians and Dentists