UPTE optometrists' powerful strike over unfair labor practices remains a sight for sore eyes
Extreme weather events across California did not deter UPTE optometrists from striking. On February 6 and 7, 2024, these healthcare professionals participated in an unfair labor practice strike with a clear message to UC: Stop your union-busting and bad-faith bargaining tactics and address the issues optometrists are demanding and their patients deserve.
"In February, over a thousand people—fellow UPTE members, community supporters, university students, other labor unions, and public officials— joined us on the frontline, battling through harsh winds and relentless rain, standing firm against the oppressive tactics of UC," said Lauren Guajardo, an Optometrist 3, working at the University of California, Davis. "Together, we made our demands clear to the University of California: End your union-busting tactics and bad-faith bargaining now. Address the urgent demands of optometrists and the rightful needs of our patients. It's time for action, not excuses."
The strike, marked by workers' fearlessness, caught the public's eye and gathered significant media attention. Outlets such as NPR's California Report on KQED, NBC Bay Area, The Davis Enterprise, Optometry Times, the Daily Bruin, and the American Optometric Association covered the strike, emphasizing its importance and the message it aimed to convey.
"Our recent two-day unfair labor practice strike demonstrated our refusal to let UC undermine negotiations and our efforts to improve recruitment, retention, and patient care," conveyed Dan Russell, the president of UPTE. "As we continue preparations for full contract negotiations later this year, we should take every opportunity to show the University that we will not stand for its attempts to undermine our rights."
Despite the strike's success in drawing attention to these issues, Dr. Guajardo and her colleagues emphasize that the fight is not yet over. UC optometrists assert that continued pressure is essential to encourage the University of California to engage in good-faith bargaining and address the concerns the optometrists and their supporters raised. "The fight is not over yet," declared Lauren. "Our unfair labor practice strike was a powerful sign of our commitment, but we will need to keep the pressure up if we want the University to bargain in good faith."
Optometrists are set to bargain next with UC in late March. Their resolve and vision are clear: UC optometrists will continue fighting for good-faith bargaining during contract negotiations and—ultimately—a contract that puts patient care front and center.