Victory over UCSD Health layoffs, and what’s next

On June 23rd, UC San Diego Health announced the layoff of 230 employees, including a handful of UPTE-represented workers. Immediately following the announcement, UPTE sprang into action.

With little notice, over 200 members attended an emergency meeting in La Jolla and received widespread media coverage that made it clear to UCSD leadership that UPTE members would not sit by quietly. UPTE workplace and unit representatives talked to their coworkers and discussed a strike if UCSD refused to work with us.

Thanks to our powerful presence in the past three strikes, UCSD recognized our strength and has committed to resolving a majority of the UPTE layoffs. We are continuing to fight every layoff and will not stop until every option has been exhausted.

As a result of this progress, UPTE will not be striking on July 22nd. We stand in solidarity with AFSCME in their fight against layoffs and ask all members to show support by wearing solidarity stickers and joining their picket lines during breaks. AFSCME was hit with 103 layoffs, roles essential to hospital operations and patient care, and we will stand beside them in their fight.

Our fight is far from over. In bargaining this week, UC made limited movement, refusing to address the crisis of short staffing, recruitment, and retention. With the arrival of a new UC President and CNA's contract expiring this fall, we must all prepare to escalate.

UC claims financial hardship due to anticipated federal cuts, while it sits on $26 billion in cash and short-term capital, and UCSD is spending $10 billion on expansion. As a public institution, UC has a responsibility to prioritize quality education, research, and healthcare first and foremost. That mission cannot be fulfilled without us.

We're proud of what we've achieved together, and we'll keep organizing, fighting, and winning—because when we fight, we win.

In solidarity,

Lea Bishop, SLP
Wan-Ting Huang, PharmD
Sam Warsh, RD, CSP