UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
The pandemic forced doctors at each of the University of California campuses to find a way to share mutual as well as differing concerns with colleagues from around the State. To facilitate this, UAPD began implementing statewide phone and video conferences and for the first time in the fall. Providers at all UC campuses were able to get to know one another and work collectively on shared concerns. In addition to basic health and safety concerns, the doctors discussed scheduling issues that arose due to the pandemic, how each campus was handling school closures and openings, and how many Student Health Services clinics could add temporary weekend and or evening hours in the short term. As doctors on each campus reaced a consensus about how they wanted to handle the different challenges presented by COVID-19, UAPD negotiated non-precedent-setting agreements with each campus administration based on what the members at each SHS wanted and were willing to do.
UAPD also participates actively in the UC unions’ strategy group and weekly meetings via Zoom. The group discusses the effects of COVID-19, the vaccine rollout, legislation, UC Regents meetings, campus re-openings, and collective actions relevant to each union.