University of California Grad Student Strike Sparks Legal Fight

A simmering legal battle between the University of California system and its unionized graduate student workers is poised to heat up as thousands of students walk off the job and both sides dig in their heels on claims the other is breaking the law.

Around 2,000 student workers at UC Santa Cruz stopped work May 20 in the first of a series of compounding strikes, according to United Auto Workers Local 4811, which represents some 48,000 graduate students across the university system.

The move follows a vote last week in which 79% of participating members voted to authorize union leadership ...