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Economy
48,000 California academic workers strike for higher wages
2022-11-15
[Aljazeera] Los Angeles, California — More than 48,000 academic workers in the University of California system have gone on strike over what they say are unfair labour practices and low wages.

Researchers, postdoctoral scholars, teaching assistants and other employees headed to the picket line on Monday, launching what they describe as the largest academic worker strike in US history. The move is expected to halt activities within the University of California system, a network of 10 public universities and more than 280,000 students.

"Our material conditions have been so bad for so long that a lot of people have run out of patience with the university," Janna Haider, a graduate student in the history department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, told Al Jazeera over the phone.

Haider is the recording secretary for the Santa Barbara branch of the United Automobile Workers 2865, one of the unions representing academic workers. It stated that 98 percent of workers voted in favour of strike authorisation in early November.
Posted by:Besoeker

#10  When my former supervisor moved to UCLA he offered me a new postdoc at 30% pay increase. It sounded like a good opportunity, but I looked at rental prices first. I had a family to feed. No way.
Posted by: James   2022-11-15 17:48  

#9  Sort of a Red on Red engagement.
Posted by: Super Hose   2022-11-15 12:05  

#8   academic workers

There's a new oxymoron to add to the list.

That's funny right there.
Posted by: AlanC   2022-11-15 12:02  

#7  Living by your wits. Works better for criminals than for academics. Even with the greater risk involved.
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-11-15 11:37  

#6  “What, and leave academia?”

I remember a friend of my mother’s, whose hobby once the children were in school was getting a PhD in German literature in between housewifing and mothering, complaining that she was paid less than minimum wage as a part time instructor — net after driving an hour each way to the campus plus office hours, course planning, and grading.
Posted by: trailing wife   2022-11-15 11:33  

#5  Somehow the PhD s don’t get it

"Some ideas are so stupid only an intellectual can embrace them."

- Eric Blair
Posted by: M. Murcek   2022-11-15 09:56  

#4  May the strike go on and on.
Posted by: Glenmore    2022-11-15 09:29  

#3  Academia s full of PhDs earning sub minimum wages doing research and teaching

This while diversity administrators earn $150k plus.

Somehow the PhD s don’t get it
Posted by: Lord garth   2022-11-15 07:59  

#2  Surprised that the UCal folks voted to have the UAW be their advocate union.

They are usually associated with making pollution-belching icky cars and stuff.
Posted by: Mullah Richard   2022-11-15 07:32  

#1  All's not well at surfboard U.
Posted by: Slavising Unineting5672   2022-11-15 07:20  

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