Strike Concludes: UC and UAW Finalize Contract Agreements

Dear Bruin Community:

We write to share the news that the University of California (UC) and United Auto Workers (UAW) have finalized historic contract agreements (PDF) for represented academic student employees and graduate student researchers across the university. With the ratification of these agreements — coupled with the approval of contract agreements for represented postdoctoral scholars and academic researchers earlier this month — the UAW has called off its strike. UCLA’s winter quarter will begin with all academic employees performing regular duties.

We celebrate the ratification of all four contract agreements, which place compensation and benefits for our critical academic workers among the very best in the nation. The agreements — including UC’s first-ever collective bargaining agreement with graduate student researchers — offer major multiyear pay increases, enhanced paid family leave benefits, new healthcare support for dependents, additional transit benefits, improved job security and more. You can learn about the details of the various agreements on the UC website.

As we settle into the winter break and a period of rest, reflection and renewal, we also wish to acknowledge the unprecedented — and sometimes extremely challenging — experience our community has been through these past several weeks. The strike affected every member of our campus, and in some cases it brought about disagreement and division. In the new year, partners from Campus Human Resources, the Division of Graduate Education, the Semel Healthy Campus Initiative Center and other units will develop programming and events to help us move forward as a community that deeply values compassion and mutual respect.

Finally, we wish to express our appreciation to all those who helped maintain campus operations during this period and who remained flexible during a tumultuous time. We offer our gratitude to the university’s crucial academic workers for all of their contributions, and our sincere thanks to the bargaining teams who worked day in and day out to reach a productive agreement. And in the spirit of the season, we wish the entire UCLA community a joyful break and the very best in the coming new year.

Sincerely,

Gene D. Block
Chancellor

Darnell Hunt
Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost