Tensions between University of California and unions flare up again over possible cuts to PhDs

A new battle appears to be brewing between academics and the University of California (UC), following unions’ success in negotiating substantial pay rises and improved benefits for staff. This dispute centres on a threat by UC to cut the number of graduate students enrolling in the upcoming academic year.

An unprecedented 40-day strike by tens of thousands of academics at the University of California (UC) system and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in November and December over pay and working conditions was resolved just before Christmas. The negotiations delivered a big win for the unions, with UC postdocs receiving a 20–23% pay rise, followed by annual pay increases of at least 3.5% under a new five-year contract, while teaching assistants and associate instructors secured a 7.5% salary increase under a new two-and-a-half-year contract.