UPTE members at UC Davis blow the whistle on dangerous lab conditions in the facility testing dairy and poultry for bird flu

We knew how the world reacted to a worldwide pandemic with COVID-19. In California alone, nearly one hundred ten thousand have died from the contagious disease since first being detected in late January 2020. We have seen how our loved ones and entire communities were devastated by the pandemic. That is why we need to be on guard for the next time.

Workers at the California Animal Health & Food Safety Lab System (CAHFS) at UC Davis are raising the alarm about severe understaffing and unsafe conditions that jeopardize critical testing for diseases like Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N1). Please RSVP to join our informational picket line on December 11, 2024, and support these essential workers in protecting the health and safety of our communities.

You may have seen the recent Los Angeles Times article highlighting the working conditions that workers have to endure on a daily basis just to protect all of us. Please make sure to share it widely on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and Bluesky. The fight that CAHFS workers are going through is what we mean when talking about resetting UC's priorities to serve ALL Californians. At the bargaining table and across UC, UPTE members are fighting for safe staffing as part of our platform we're bringing to contract negotiations.

After five out of seven lab workers quit since January due to inadequate compensation and a lack of support, the timely and accurate monitoring of our nation's food supply is at risk, potentially leading to catastrophic outbreaks affecting poultry and human health.

Your support is crucial in urging UC management at CAHFS to address these issues and protect the health and safety of our communities. Our goal is to have UC address the staffing and working conditions issues by filling all vacant positions, improving compensation, and creating a supportive work environment. That will ensure that essential testing is conducted accurately and promptly, safeguarding public health, protecting the food supply, and preventing the spread of zoonotic diseases.

RSVP to our informational picket for CAHFS
December 11, 2024, at Noon
944 Garrod Dr, Davis, CA 95616

In solidarity,

Amy Fletcher
UPTE Treasurer
UPTE UC Davis Chapter Co-Chair
UC Davis Staff Research Associate 4