SAN DIEGO -- Nearly 200 electricians, elevator mechanics, plumbers and other workers walked off the job Thursday at the University of California, San Diego, to demand higher wages, one of two planned strikes this week at University of California campuses.
UCSD's 24-hour strike followed a similar strike and rally at UCLA Wednesday.
The strikes are organized by Teamsters Local 2010, a union that represents skilled-trades workers at both schools.
The union says contracts for the workers at both schools have already expired and they are striking over the universities' refusal to negotiate over back wages. The union said the average skills trade worker at UCSD makes $32.41 per hour. The union also contends that the UC system has violated labor law.
UCLA said in a statement that it was disappointed by the decision to strike.
