Catherwood LibraryILR School

The strike action of thousands of academic workers across the UC campuses has continued into its third week, reflecting the determination of these workers, represented by the United Auto Workers union, and the universality of their demands. While the university argues that it already offers competitive salaries compared to other higher education institutions, workers claim that they are significantly overworked and underpaid. Furthermore, their salaries have not kept pace with the increasingly high cost of living in the areas surrounding the colleges. This conflict reflects a larger issue across higher education, as fewer faculty members are receiving tenure and there are more university employees being paid less to maintain the same level of instruction. As such, the strike has garnered popular support across the state and country, and it has initiated a dialogue around the affordability and accessibility of graduate school.