At the 11th hour, a strike of more than 6,500 University of California lecturers was called off Wednesday morning after a new deal was reached between UC officials and the University Council-American Federation of Teachers (UC-AFT).
The deal, announced after 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, includes new terms in a 5-year agreement covering improvements in job stability, workload, and compensation, UC-AFT, a union that represents nontenured faculty, said in a statement.
"This is a landmark achievement. We are pleased with how far management has come towards our position," said UC-AFT President Mia McIver in the statement. "This victory is owed to the hard work of organizing that our members have done for over two and a half years. Thousands of you have participated in our campaign, from joining our open bargaining sessions to pledging to join us on the picket line. We built the power to win the contract we deserve."
Negotiations between the two groups also included a resolution to the two most recent Unfair Labor Practice charges UC-AFT filed within the last 10 days against the UC system. Those charges initiated the strike planned for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
"The University is proud of the dedication and commitment to harmonious labor relations both sides demonstrated to achieve a fair deal that honors our lecturers and prioritizes the University's instructional mission," said UC’s Executive Director for Systemwide Labor Relations Letitia Silas in a statement.
Now, classes will proceed business as usual across the nine campuses where the strikes were originally planned to take place.
The new terms will be voted on later this week by union members before they are enacted.
Although the strike has been canceled, celebratory rallies have been planned at UC campuses throughout the state for noon on Wednesday.
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