Unions say Trump Admin attacks on the University of California threaten member jobs, rights, higher education overall.
Today, Teamsters Local 2010 joined with a coalition of every Union representing workers at the University of California to file a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging the illegal and coercive use of frivolous lawsuits to attack the University of California system and threaten the jobs and rights of Teamsters members and other UC workers and students.
“Teamsters Local 2010 will always fight to defend the jobs and rights of our members – and all working people,” said Jason Rabinowitz, Teamsters Local 2010 Secretary-Treasurer. “The Trump Administration’s extortionate lawsuit and multimillion dollar funding cuts threaten every one of the 20,000 Teamsters working at University of California. The Administration’s attempt to limit free speech on campus threatens our fundamental rights as workers to picket, strike, rally, and join together in a union. Through this lawsuit, we unite with our sister unions to stand up for public higher education and the workers who make it work every day.”
Teamsters Local 2010 represents 25,000 workers in California education, including more than 20,000 administrative, clerical, skilled trades and related occupations at the UC. Local 2010 is affiliated with the 1.3 million members of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters across the United States and Canada.
The Trump Administration has slashed federal funding to the University of California, resulting in layoffs and hiring freezes, threatening the jobs of Teamsters members and harming the critical medical and scientific research that Teamsters 2010 members support with our work. In settlement discussions, the Administration has sought to extract payments of $1.2 billion from the University, which, if successful, would threaten the jobs and livelihood of all Teamsters members. Further, the Trump Administration has sought to make the University impose limitations on free speech and expressive activity on campuses, which threatens Teamsters members’ fundamental rights to engage in picketing, rallying, marching and other Union activity.
Teamsters Local 2010 begins collective bargaining negotiations in September 2025 for bargaining units comprising nearly all of the 20,000 Teamsters-represented workers at UC. The Administration’s attacks on UC funding and workers’ rights threatens Teamsters Local 2010’s efforts to fight for and win contracts with the fair raises and benefits that our members need.
The UC is the second largest employer in California, a world-renowned driver of global innovation, and a critical vehicle for economic mobility for California families.
Our Union will fight to protect our jobs, our pay and benefits, and our Constitutionally protected free speech rights from all attacks on workers’ rights.
The coalition is made up of 20 labor organizations, including the American Association of University Professors (AAUP); the American Federation of Teachers (AFT); UC-AFT Local 1474, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 399; the Council of UC Faculty Associations (CUCFA); the UC Berkeley Faculty Association (UCB FA), the UC Davis Faculty Association (UCD FA), the UC Irvine Faculty Association (UCI FA), the UC Los Angeles Faculty Association (UCLA FA), the UC Merced Faculty Association (UCM FA), the UC Riverside Faculty Association (UCR FA), the UC San Diego Faculty Association (UCSD FA), the UC San Francisco Faculty Association (UCSFA), the UC Santa Barbara Faculty Association (UCSB FA), and the UC Santa Cruz Faculty Association (UCSC FA) (collectively, the UC FAs); the University Professional and Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America (UPTE-CWA) Local 9119; the California Nurses Association/National Nurses United (CNA/NNU); the International Union, United, Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW); UAW Local 4811; and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union 2010.
In Solidarity,
Teamsters Local 2010
