Physical therapists, pharmacists and thousands of other medical professionals on Tuesday joined an ongoing strike in a show of solidarity with service workers at University of California campuses.
The three-day strike of nurse aides, gardeners, security guards and others was called by the 25,000-member American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3299 to address what the union calls pay inequalities.
Striking workers began their public demand for higher wages Monday when they gathered at sunrise on 10 university campuses across California.
The Washington Post reported another 29,000 nurses, pharmacists, radiologists and other medical workers walked off the job starting Tuesday.
Those professional belong to two other unions, according to the Los Angeles Times. About 14,000 are members of the California Nurses Association, and 15,000 members make up the University Professional & Technical Employees, who include pharmacists, clinical social workers, physical therapists, physician assistants and researchers.
Their absence is expected to disrupt thousands of surgeries and other appointments.
The UC system, which includes five medical centers and three national laboratories, has 190,000 faculty and staff and 238,000 students.
UC officials said they would continue to deliver essential patient care, but hundreds of surgeries and thousands of appointments have been rescheduled.
