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By Doug Cunningham

Twenty thousand workers at ten University of California campuses and hospitals could strike as soon as June 4th. Many of the workers are in poverty and qualify for public assistance. The workers want better wages and benefits and they’ve been negotiating with UC for ten months. Lakesha Harrison is President of AFSCME Local 3299

[Harrison]: “This whole fight is not about resources, it's about priorities. UC has the money to do what's right by the workers and they refuse to do it. If UC really values the workers and the workforce and the patient care folks they need to pay a wage that'll help sustain that workforce and pay the wage that needs to be paid - which is at least 25 percent more than what they pay now."

AFSCME says wages and benefits at UC have fallen as much as 25 percent behind other hospitals and California’s community colleges. University of California officials want the state labor board to stop workers from walking off their jobs. Harrison says no one wants to strike, but these workers deserve more.