LOS ANGELES — A day after the University of California and union leaders representing 36,000 academic workers heralded a breakthrough agreement that could end a five-week strike, dueling narratives over the tentative pact emerged among graduate student supporters and opponents.
Rafael Jaime, president of one of the two United Auto Workers bargaining units involved in the negotiations, touted Friday's agreement as a "historic" win that would reshape the lives of thousands of graduate student workers and inspire peers across the country to fight for better wages and working conditions. The pact, he said, would boost minimum wages by as much as 80% and enhance support for child care, healthcare for dependents and international students.
"This contract really does set a new standard for institutions of higher education," Jaime said Saturday. "It's a major step toward building a more equitable UC that is accessible to workers from all backgrounds."
