Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
University Of California Workers Launch Massive 3-Day Strike Impacting Medical Centers, Health Professionals
The Associated Press: University Of California Workers Start 3-Day Strike Over Pay
Thousands of custodians, security guards, gardeners and other service workers at University of California campuses started a three-day strike Monday to address pay inequalities and demand higher wages. Strikers gathered at sunrise on the 10 campuses throughout the state, wearing green T-shirts and carrying signs that call for “equality, fairness, respect.” The strike was called last week by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, which represents 25,000 service workers, after the union and the university could not agree on a new contract and mediation efforts failed. Another 29,000 nurses, pharmacists, radiologists and other medical workers heeded the service workers’ call for a sympathy strike and will join the walkouts Tuesday and Wednesday, which is expected to disrupt thousands of surgeries and other appointments. (Rodriguez, 5/7)
Los Angeles Times: Massive UC Workers' Strike Disrupts Dining, Classes And Medical Services
UC's five medical centers hired contract workers to fill in during the strike and scrambled to reschedule exams and treatments. UC San Francisco rescheduled more than 12,000 appointments for surgeries and treatments, including chemotherapy and radiation. UC Davis rescheduled several hundred appointments, including more than 100 cancer surgeries and 150 radiology exams. But campus spokeswoman Kimberly Hale said 78% of UC Davis health workers showed up for work. UC San Diego directed emergency room patients to other hospitals. (Watanabe and Resmovits, 5/7)
Sacramento Bee: Three-Day Strike Kicks Off Across University Of California System
More than 300 hospital workers and members of AFSCME 3299, which represents workers at UC Davis and its medical center, formed a picket line as a three-day strike began at the medical center in Sacramento on Monday, protesting the stagnating contract negotiations with the University of California. They joined the more than 53,000 health care, service, technical and research workers who are striking across all 10 UC campuses. (Sullivan, 5/7)
