An unidentified male drove his car into three UCLA staff members participating in an ongoing UC-wide labor strike this morning.
According to Lt. Kevin Kilgore of the UCLA Police Department, the staffers were treated for minor injuries and released on the spot. The vehicle’s driver was sent to the Ronald Reagan Medical Center for evaluation before being taken into police custody.
“The driver drove another block up before he was stopped by the police and arrested,” John de Los Angeles, Communications Director for AFSCME, told The Daily Bruin. “The worker who was holding on to the hood of the car was able to walk away.”
AFSCME 3299, the UC system’s largest labor union, authorized a strike on April 18 after a stalemate in negotiations between workers and the UC system regarding wage increases, retirement benefits, and healthcare costs. Members of the union include service and maintenance workers from all ten UC campuses, ranging from hospital workers to hospitality career staff.
“Initially folks were upset and were trying to get the driver to stop,” Kilgore told the Los Angeles Times. “There was a quick resolution after first responders came to the scene.”
The police are continuing their investigation into the incident, which occurred near the UCLA campus. As of now, no charges have been pressed and no motive has been determined.
The strike will last from May 7 to May 9, unless the UC system acknowledges the union’s demands. Earlier today, United States Senator Kamala Harris announced her withdrawal as UC Berkeley’s 2018 commencement speaker in support of the union’s strike.
Ella Chen is the News Editor of the Triton. You can follow her @cinder_ellachen.