{"id":46436,"date":"2026-01-31T12:40:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T20:40:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/?p=46436"},"modified":"2026-01-31T12:40:53","modified_gmt":"2026-01-31T20:40:53","slug":"union-protesters-removed-after-interrupting-forum-with-uc-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/01\/31\/union-protesters-removed-after-interrupting-forum-with-uc-president\/","title":{"rendered":"Union protesters removed after interrupting forum with UC president"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ul>\n<li>Madeleine Kashkooli &amp; Ajith Araiza-Singh | Staff<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jan 29, 2026 (dailycal.org)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com\/dailycal.org\/content\/tncms\/assets\/v3\/editorial\/9\/53\/95368122-3e22-4781-99d6-48940dbacffa\/697cb73d1eb48.image.jpg?resize=400%2C258\" alt=\"milliken_Ajith Araiza-Singh_staff 1.jpg\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">During the event, Milliken discussed the Department of Justice\u2019s $1.2 billion settlement&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/news\/uc\/uc-releases-1-2-billion-doj-settlement-proposal-with-ucla\/article_62cf6f94-91e1-4743-bfb0-1bce67bb433b.html\">proposal<\/a>&nbsp;with UCLA, stating that paying the settlement would \u201cdevastate\u201d the UC system.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/users\/profile\/Ajith%20Araiza-Singh\">Ajith Araiza-Singh | Staff<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Union members protested during an event featuring UC President James B. Milliken at the nation\u2019s oldest public forum in San Francisco tonight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Outside the event, about 70 protesters from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME 3299, picketed and called for the UC to reach a contract agreement that would provide them with affordable housing and a living wage. AFSCME 3299 represents approximately 40,000 service, patient and skilled craft workers in the UC system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The event, titled \u201cIntroducing U.C. President James B. Milliken,\u201d was hosted by the Commonwealth Club World Affairs of California, an organization that regularly hosts high-profile public forums. The event consisted of a free-form interview and Q&amp;A section moderated by UC Berkeley alumna and ABC7 News Bay Area anchor Kristen Sze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons was in attendance, along with various UC administrators and officials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the event, Milliken discussed the Department of Justice\u2019s $1.2 billion settlement&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/news\/uc\/uc-releases-1-2-billion-doj-settlement-proposal-with-ucla\/article_62cf6f94-91e1-4743-bfb0-1bce67bb433b.html\">proposal<\/a>&nbsp;with UCLA, stating that paying the settlement would \u201cdevastate\u201d the UC system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not going to compromise on our independence, our governance, our mission and our academic freedom,\u201d Milliken said to applause, before adding that he is willing to \u201csit down and talk\u201d with the federal government about alleged antisemitism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carmen Lee, one of the four protesters escorted out of the event, has worked as a shuttle driver for UCSF for more than 17 years. She said the union\u2019s message to Milliken about affordable housing holds personal significance to her, as she was previously unhoused and has lived in public housing the entire time that she has worked for the UC system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve always had a dream to buy a home, but I never could afford a down payment to do that,\u201d Lee said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"4\" height=\"3\" src=\"https:\/\/occupysf.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image-67.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-46437\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/users\/profile\/Ajith%20Araiza-Singh\">Ajith Araiza-Singh | Staff<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At least six UCSF police officers arrived after the protesters had been escorted out of the event. The protesters outside peacefully dispersed less than an hour after the event concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUC is committed to supporting its workforce in a responsible and sustainable way by providing competitive wage increases that allow employees the flexibility to address their individual needs, including housing, childcare, and other living expenses,\u201d said UCOP spokesperson Heather Hansen in an email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AFSCME 3299-represented workers across the UC system&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/news\/uc\/37k-afscme-represented-workers-begin-uc-systemwide-strike\/article_e606c690-861d-4cae-a2e9-8bf2acb464ae.html\">went on strike<\/a>&nbsp;in November 2025 over the \u201cuniversity\u2019s failure to settle contracts\u201d that address cost of living crises. Recently, members have taken to Instagram to voice their&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.dailycal.org\/news\/uc\/frustration-grows-as-afscme-3299-uc-remain-trapped-in-contract-negotiations\/article_22053d80-6c04-43ce-8d5a-511b6b5f2986.html\">displeasure<\/a>&nbsp;over the union\u2019s failure to secure a contract, despite monthslong negotiations with the UC system.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As attendees left the building, one expressed that she \u201creally enjoyed the event\u201d but was \u201cdisappointed\u201d that AFSCME 3299 protesters had interrupted it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cSome things never change,\u201d added another attendee.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Union members protested during an event featuring UC President James B. Milliken at the nation\u2019s oldest public forum in San Francisco tonight. Outside the event, about 70 protesters from American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299, or AFSCME 3299, picketed and called for the UC to reach&#8230; <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/2026\/01\/31\/union-protesters-removed-after-interrupting-forum-with-uc-president\/\"> Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr; <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46436"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46436"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46438,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46436\/revisions\/46438"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/occupysf.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}