Summer does not slow down for unions at USC
Unions consider contracts, strikes, pickets, and negotiations during break.
By BENJAMIN GAMSON
Two unions at USC are preparing for strikes, alleging bad-faith negotiations from the University.
But, over the last year, the threat of a strike has gotten 11th hour deals. Graduate student workers reached a deal two days before they were set to strike and shuttle drivers and dispatchers reached a deal the evening before they were set to hold an unfair labor practices strike to coincide with individual school’s commencement ceremonies May 10.
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Housing workers announced Aug. 16 that they will hold a one-day unfair labor practices strike to coincide with the last day of move-in Aug. 21 as workers at Keck Medicine of USC are amid a vote on whether to authorize a strike.
For School of Cinematic Arts adjuncts, this summer brought continued negotiations for a first contract with the University and in June postdoctoral scholars voted to unionize. Their unionization builds off successful unionizations and contracts over the last year from the SCA adjuncts, graduate student workers, and shuttle drivers and dispatchers.
Below are updates on the housing workers, Keck workers, postdoctoral scholars, SCA adjuncts, graduate student workers, and shuttle drivers and dispatchers.
USC Housing workers
Housing workers will hold a one-day unfair labor practices strike Aug. 21, the last day of move-in for students, alleging retaliation and unlawful bad-faith negotiations.
Workers unionized under Service Employees International Union Local 721 in June 2023. They are in the midst of their first contract negotiations. Those striking will include general maintenance workers, facilities technicians, painters and customer service representatives.
Workers claim that during negotiations the University ended the “practice of awarding annual, merit-based pay increases — an illegal, unilateral change to an established term or condition of employment,” the union wrote in a press release Aug. 16. “The housing workers challenged this by filing a ULP charge with the National Labor Relations Board.”
Angel Moreno, a general maintenance worker, called on the University to end the alleged bad-faith negotiations and retaliation in the press release.
“We unclog drains, paint rooms, fix air-conditioning units, do electrical work, repair appliances, and much, much more,” Moreno wrote. “USC must get serious at the bargaining table soon. If not, we’re ready to strike.”
Keck workers
Workers at Keck Hospital of USC and the Norris Healthcare Center are voting from Aug. 15 until Aug. 21 on whether to authorize a strike. They remain in negotiations with the University since their last contract expired April 30. The over 2,200 workers are represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers.
In a statement to the Daily Trojan Aug. 15, Francisco Cendejas, a NUHW Southern California Hospital Division director wrote the decision to vote on authorizing a strike came “after USC’s most recent proposal still included salary freezes and potentially higher health care costs for workers.”
If a strike is authorized, this does not mean that workers will immediately go on strike, but rather gives the bargaining committee the ability to call a strike at any time.
Keck School of Medicine of USC wrote in a statement Aug. 16 that they “believe that a strike is not necessary to reach an agreement that provides competitive pay and benefits and supports our caregivers.”
Workers held an informational picket June 5 to draw attention to the current negotiations. Workers are demanding increased pay, better health coverage and a ban on subcontracting, among other issues.
In a statement to the Daily Trojan Aug. 14, before the strike vote was announced, NUHW President Sophia Mendoza wrote that “significant movement” would need to come from USC.
“So far, USC has been negotiating more like a vulture hedge fund owner intent on maximizing profit than a university with a mission of serving our city,” she wrote. “We expect more from the university, and caregivers are ready to take whatever actions are necessary to win a contract that respects their work and improves patient care.”
USC postdoctoral scholars
Over 500 postdoctoral researchers and fellows unionized under the United Auto Workers union in a two-day vote from June 20 until June 21. They voted overwhelmingly, 200-15, to form USC Researchers and Fellows United.
According to their website, demands include higher salaries, increased protections for international scholars, greater protections against harassment and increased funding for science research.
The University wrote in a statement June 24 that, “we respect the outcome of the election, but we are disappointed to lose the direct relationship with our postdoctoral scholars. We are proud of the competitive benefits, compensation and flexibility we offer our employees and look forward to sitting down with the union to negotiate a contract in good faith.”
SCA adjuncts
Adjunct professors in the School of Cinematic Arts voted to unionize in February with a vote of 206-13, or 94%.
Contract negotiations have been taking place throughout the summer with seven meetings, the first being May 8. The next two bargaining sessions will be Aug. 29 and Aug. 30.
“We are committed to bargaining in good faith,” wrote the School of Cinematic Arts in a statement Aug. 16. “Negotiations are ongoing, and we are continuing to work diligently on putting together a comprehensive and fair package. We believe we are making meaningful progress with the goal of reaching a contract.”
Adjunct associate professor Lori Webster Fore, a member of the bargaining team, said the union has reached 14 tentative agreements on issues including grievance and arbitration and paid training. The grievance and arbitration process is what governs resolving disputes in the workplace.
Webster Fore said they are currently negotiating around the topics of discipline and dismissal, and parking. She said the University has yet to respond to a package on wages and compensation or health benefits.
“From the bargaining committee standpoint, we’re coming to the table, serious, prepared and eager to bargain in good-faith, and so that has been the tone that we have set at each of the sessions in order to bridge that gap as expeditiously as possible,” said Webster Fore in an interview with the Daily Trojan.
USC shuttle drivers and dispatchers
USC shuttle drivers and dispatchers reached their first-ever agreement in May, just hours before they were set to hold an unfair labor practices strike to coincide with individual schools’ commencement ceremonies.
Their deal, the first of its kind at USC, gives shuttle drivers and dispatchers higher wages, merit raises, a split shift differential, a ratification bonus, a performance bonus and a uniform stipend.
They have been represented by SEIU Local 721 since March 2023, and the contract that was ratified May 14 will run through Sept. 30, 2028.
Graduate student workers
Graduate student workers, who unionized under the United Auto Workers union in February 2023, ratified their first contract Dec. 7, after seven months of negotiations with USC. They reached a tentative agreement last November, in a deal that came just two days before graduate student workers were set to go on strike. The contract runs through June 30, 2027.
