AFSCME 3299 Open-Ended UC Strike Begins May 14 — 42,000 Workers, FQHC Patient Spillover Likely

AFSCME Local 3299 (42,000 University of California service and patient-care technical workers) begins an open-ended strike on May 14, 2026 over housing affordability and healthcare premium costs. UCSF, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UCLA, and UC Irvine hospital operations face significant disruption. FQHCs in UC catchment areas (San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, Los Angeles, Orange County) should expect patient spillover — particularly for primary care visits diverted from UC ambulatory clinics. Strategic implication: (1) Operations directors should brief front-line staff on expected demand surge starting May 14, (2) Establish referral channels with UC discharge planners for safety-net patients losing continuity, (3) Coordinate with CPCA/CCALAC for regional capacity messaging, (4) Track strike duration — open-ended posture means weeks-to-months potential exposure. Compounds existing AHS, Kaiser, and WellSpace capacity pressures across the state.