University of California academic workers strike to stand up for pro-Palestinian protesters

santa cruz: graduate students at the university of california, santa cruz walked off their jobs and went on strike monday, the first campus to do so as part of a systemwide protest against a public university they say has violated the speech rights of pro-palestinian advocates. united auto workers local 4811 represents 48,000 graduate students who work as teaching assistants, tutors, researchers and other academic workers on the 10-campus uc system. organizers said the campuses will not strike all at once, opting instead for rolling strikes among the campuses. organizers are protesting the administration's response to pro-palestinian encampments, including arrests of protesters at the los angeles, san diego and irvine campuses. they say the actions constitute an unfair labor practice. “the ball is in uc's court — and the first step they need to take is dropping all criminal and disciplinary proceedings against our colleagues,” rafael jaime, president of uaw 4811, said in a statement.the administration says the strike is unlawful and a violation of the union's contract with uc, which prohibits work stoppages, lori kletzer, campus provost and executive vice chancellor, said in a statement. a rally is planned for noon at the main entrance of uc santa cruz.