In today’s news and commentary, a University of California union ratifies a new collective bargaining agreement and the Texas shrimp industry asks for more H-2B visas amid labor shortage.

University of California healthcare and service workers delivered an overwhelming vote in favor of a new collective bargaining agreement with the school on Friday. The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 3299 represents roughly 30,000 healthcare workers and several thousand custodians, groundskeepers, and food service employees across all the UC campuses. The university and the union reached a tentative agreement that secured an increase to the union’s minimum wage just hours before the members were set to walk off the job; AFSCME was preparing for an open-ended unfair labor practice strike starting May 14, after union allegations that the school had illegally implemented a healthcare benefit without bargaining. The agreement replaces the previous contract that expired in 2024. Michael Avant, President of AFSCME Local 3299 celebrated, “The agreements ratified today make historic progress and deliver long overdue certainty to the service and patient care professionals who make UC run.”

The Texas shrimp industry faces enormous labor shortages ahead of the upcoming commercial season which begins on July 15. U.S. Representative Gonzalez, D-Texas, has asked the Trump administration to release more temporary worker visas to fill the gap, though demand for H-2B visas far outstrips supply. Relatively low wages and income risk involved in the job make it difficult for vessel owners to find willing and competent workers – and foreign workers often fill in those slots. Though the government uses a lottery system to select who receives the limited number of temporary visas, Gonzalez said that Texas shrimpers have been largely unable to secure any visas. Gonzalez explained, “without immediate action from the administration, this industry will suffer irreparable harm.”